Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-11-14

.-~An
wrist in two hands ana was bending it
backward while he pressed the mans
stomach with his knees.
The knife fell To the floor, and the
thief made "A gallant effort to recover
il. but King was too strong for him.
He seized the knife himself, slipped it
in his own bosom and resumed his hold
before the native guessed what he was
after. The train screamed itself to a
standstlll at wayside station, and a
man with lantern began to chant
the stations name. The instant the
trains motion altogether ceased the
heat shut in on them rs il the lid of
Tophet had been slammed. The prick
ly heat burst out all over Hyde's skin
and Kings too.
There was plenty Of excuse for re-
Taxing hold, and King made full use of
It. A second later he gave very good
fretense of pain in his finger ends as
the thief burst free. The native made
a dive at has bosom for the knife, but
he frustrated that. Then he made a
prodi sous effort, just too late, to
clutch the man again, and he did sue
coed in tearing loose piece of shirt ;
but the fleeing robber must have won
dered. as he bolted into the blacker
shadows of the station building, why
such an irOn-fingered wide-awake
sahib should have made such truly
feeble showing at the end.
Hang it!-couldn't you hold him?
We're you afraid of him, or what?" de-
manded Hyde, beginning to dress him.
self. Instead Of answering. King leaned
out into the lamp-llt gloom, and in a
minute he caught sight of sergeant
Of native infantry passing down the
train. He made sign that brought
the man to him on the run.
did you see that runaway" he
asked.
lila, sahib. saw one running. Shall
I follow"
mo. This piece of his shirt will
identify him. Take it. Hide it! When
man with torn shirt, into which
that piece fits, makes for the telegraph
Office after this train has gone on, see
that he IS allowed to send any tele.
grams he wants to! Only, have copies
of every one of them wired to Captain
King. care of the statonmaster, Delhi
Have YOU understood"
''Iia, sahib."
"Grab him, and lock him up tight
afterwari-but not until he has sent
his telegrams |"
"Atcha, sahib."
"Make Yourself scarce, them
Major Hyde was dressed, having per-
formed that military evolution in some
thing less than record time.
"Who was that you were talking
to-" he demanded. But King did not
seem to understand until the native
sergeant had quite vanished into the
shadows
The engine shrieked of death and
torment; the heat relaxed as the en-
CINE moyed--lo0sened-let go-lifted
at last, and a trainload of hot passcn-
gers sighed thanks.
what are YOU looking at?" Hyde
demanded at last, sitting on Kings
berth.
"Only u knife" said King. He was
standing under the dim gas lamp that
helped make the darkness more I'M
bearable. He slowed the knife away
in his bosom. and the major crossed to
MS own side.
Within ten minutes Hyde was asleep,
snoring prodi giously. Then King pulled
out the knife again and studied it for
half an hour. The blade was of bronze,
with an edge hammered to the keen
ness of a razor. The hilt was Of near
Iy pure gold. in the form of woman
dancing The whole thing was SO ex-
luisitely wrought that age had only
softened the lines, without in the least
impairing them. 1t looked like one of
those Grecian toys with which Roman
women Of Neros day stabbed their
lovers. But that was not why he be-
gan to whistle very softly to himself.
Presently he drew out the generals
package of papers, with the photograph
on the top. He stood up. to hold both
knife and papers close to the light In
the roof.
IttAeeded no great stretch of imagi
nation to suggest a likeness between
the woman of the photograph and the
other. of the golden knife-hlt. Ant
nobody, looking at him then. woult
have dared suggest he lacked imagina
ton.
II the knife had not been so ancient
they might have been portraits of tn,
same woman, in the same disguise
taken at the same time.
"She knew | had been chosen t.
work with her. The general sent heI
word that am coming he mutteret
to himself. "There must have been ;
, spy watching ut Peshawur, who wiret
to Rawal.Pindl for this man to juml
the train and 90 on with the job. VIII,
should she give the man a knife will
/ her own portrait on 1t? Is she queer
Of secret society? Well---we shall
see
He lay back with his head on tn,
pillow, and before five minutes NOR,