Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1918-01-12


King nodded. There has never been
peace along the northwest border. 1t
did not need vision to foresee trouble
from that quarter. In fact 1t must
have been partly on the strength of
some of Kings reports that the gen.
eral was planning now.
'Well, the tribes'll know presently
how many men we're sending oversee.
There'ves sheen rumors about Khinjan
by the hundred lately. They're cook
ing something. Can you imagine 'em
keeping quiet now?"
'That depends, sir. Yes, ! can
imagine It."
The general laughed. "That's why
I sent for you. l need man with
imagination There's woman you've
got to work with on this occasion who
can imagine shade or two too much.
What's worse, she's ambitious. So
chose you to work with her."
Kings lips stiffened under his mus
tache, and the corners Of his eyes
wrinkled into crows feet to CORE
spond. Eyes are never coal-black, Of
course, but his looked 1t at that min
ute.
"You know we've sent men to kim
jan who are said to have entered the
caves. Not one Of 'em has ever re-
turned"
King frowned.
"She claims she can enter the caves
and come out again at pleasure. She
has offered to do 1t, and / have &C.
cepted Can yoa guess who she Isl"
"Not Yasminiw King hazarded, and
the general nodded. The helmet-strap
mark, printed indelibly on Kings jaw
and cheek by the Indian sun, tight
ened and grew whiter-as the general
noted out of the corner of his eye.
"Know herr"
"Know Of her, of course, sir. Every
body does. Never met her to my
knowledge"
"Um-m-m! Whose fault was that?
Somebody ought to have seen to that.
Go to Delhi now and meet her. I'll
send her a wire to say you're coming.
She knows I've chosen you. She tried
to insist on full discretion, but over
ruled her."
King'sFtongue licked his lips, and his
eyes wrinkled. The generals voice be-
came the least shade more authorita-
tive.
hns. a Yaa q
her that'll take you into Khinjan
caves Ask her for 1t For the sake
of appearances I'll gazette you Sec
onded to the Khyber rifles. For the
sake of success, get pass from her! u
"very well, SIR"
"You've a brother In the Khyber
rifles, haven't you? Was 1t you or your
brother who visited Khinjan once and
sent in report?"
81 did, SIR"
He spoke without pride. Even the
brigade of British-Indian cavalry that
went to Khinjan on the strength of
his report and leveled its defenses
with the ground, had not been able
to find the famous caves. Yet the
caves themselves are byword.
"There's talk of a jihad (holy wary.
There's worse than that! When you
went to Khinjan, what was your chief
object2"
'"To find the source of the everlast-
ing rumors about the so-called Heart
of the Hills sir"
"Yes, yes. ] remember. read your
report. You didn't find anything, did
your Well. The story is now that the
Heart of the Hills has come to life.
SO the spies say"
King whistled softly.
"There's no guessing what 1t
means" said the general. go and
work with Yasmini. The spies keep
BIZ inging in rumors of ten thousand
men in Khinjan caves, and of another
large lashkar not far away from kim
Jan. There must be no jihad, King
India is all but defenseless This
story about Heart Of the Hills COM
ing to life may presage unity of action
and holy war such as the world mas
not seen. Go up there and stop 1t If
you can. At least, let me know the
facts"
King grunted. To stop holy war
single handed would be rather like
stopping the wind-pOssibly easy
enough, If one knew the way. Yet he
knew no general would throw away
man like himself on useless venture.
He began to look happy.
THE general clucked to the mare
and one wheel ceased to touch the
gravel as they whiried along a semi
circular drive. Under the porch Of
pretentious residente, sentries salut-
ed. the sails swung down and In less
man sixty seconds King was follow
ing the general through a wide en-
trance into O crowded hall. The in