Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1918-01-11
CHAPTER XIx--continued.

ns Houueu again, Tor nod is less
committal than word; and the nod
was enough to start the mullah off
again.
Il saw the Sleeper and his bride be-
Tore she knew Of either! 1t was who
let her into Khinjan! It was l who
told the men she is the Heart of the
Hills come to lifel She tricked me
But this is no hour for bearing grudges.
She has a plan and ] am minded to
help"
King lay still and looked up at him,
sure that treachery was the ultimate
end of any plan the mullah Muhap4-
mad Amin had. India has been ssTed
-Oy the treachery OF her enemies more
OFTEN than ruined by false trends. So
has the world, for that De&Ier.
"a jihad when the right hour comes
VIII raise the Tries" the mullah
growled. "She asd thou, as the Sleep
or and his mate, could work wonders.
But who csn trust her? She stole that
hea0l She stole all the ammunition
OOes she surely love theeY
King nodded again, for modesty
could not help him at that juncture.
Love and boastfulness go together In
the "Hills."
"She shall have thee back, then, at
pricel"
King did not answer. His brown eyes
watched the mullah's, and he drew his
breath in little jerks, lest by breath
Ing aloud he should miss one word of
what was coming.
"She shall have thee back against
Khinjan and the ammunition! She
ard thou shall have India, but I shall
be the power behind you! have men
In Khinjan! / have as many as she
On the day march there will be re-
volt within. She would better agree
TO termsI"
King lay looking at him, like pris-
Oner on the rack undergoing examina
tiOn. He did not answer.
write thou letter. Since she loves
thee, state thine own case to her. Tell
her that l hold thee hostage, and that
Khinjan is mine already for a little
fighting. In a month she cannot pick
out my men from among her own. Her
position is undermined. Tell her that.
Tell her that If she Obeys she shall
have India and be queen. If she dis
obeyS, she shall die in the Cavern of
Earth's Drink I"
"She is proud woman, mullah," an
swered King. Threats to such as
She-2"
The mullah mumbled and strobe
back and forth three times between
Kings bed and the fire, with his fists
knOtted together behind him and his
head bent, as Napoleon used to walk.
When he stood beside the bed again ar
last it was with his mind made up, as
his clenched fists and his eyes indi
Gated.
Make thine own terms with her"
he groWled. write the letter and
send It'll l hold thee; she holds kim
jan and the ammunition. l am between
her and India. So be it. She shall
starve in therei She shall lie in there
until the war is over and take what
thine own letter! State the case, and
bid her answer"
"Very WE'LL" said King. He began
to see now definitely how India was to
be saved. 1t was none of his business
TO plan yet, but to help others plans
destroy themselves and to sow such
seed in the broken ground as might
bear fruit in time.
The mullah left him, to squat and
gaze into the fire, and mutter, and King
lay still. After q while the mullah went
to the mouth of the cave. to stand and
stare out at the camp where the thou
sand fires were dying fitfully and wood
smoke purged the air of human nasti-
ness. The stars looked down on him.
and he seemed to try TO read them,
standing with fists knotted together at
Nis back.
And al he sto>d so, six other null
labs came to IAN S>,d began TO argue
with him in low tones, he browbeating
them oil with furious words Missed be-
tween half-closed teeth. They were
whispering still when King fell asleep.
II was courage, not carelesSness, that
let him sleep-courage and great
hope born of the mullah's perplexity.