The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1918-03-08

he whispered. "Here in this cavern
men wait for proofv'
He licked his teeth suggestively, as
a wolf does when he contemplates q
meal. Then, as an afterthOught, as
though ashamed, II love thee! Thou
art a man after my own heart! But
am her man! Wait and seep
The mullah in the arena, blinking
with his lashless eyes, held both arms
up for silence in the attitude Of
Christian priest blessing a congrega-
ton. The great cavern grew. still, and
only the river could be heard sucking
hungrily between the smooth stone
banks.
"God is great!" the mullah howled.
The crowd Numbered in echo to him
and then the vault took up the echoes.
"And Muhammad is his prophet !"
howled the mullah. Instantly they an
swered him again. Ellis prophets
his prophets his prophet" said the
stalactites, in loud barks-then in MUIR
murs-then in awe-struck whispers.
That seemed to be all the religious
ritual Khinjan remembered or could
tolerate. Considering that the mullah,
too, must have killed his man in. cold
blood before earning the right to be
there, perhaps it was enough-too
much. There were men not far from
King who shuddered.
''There are strangers announced
the mullah, as man might say. II
smell rat!" But he did not look at
anybody in particular; he blinked at
the crowd.
"Bring them =" he shouted, and King
suppressed shudder-for what proof
had he of right to be there, beyond Is
mail's verbal confederation of lie?
Would Ismail lie for him again? he
wondered. And If so, would the lie be
any use?
Not far from where King sat there
was an immediate disturbance in the
crowd, and a wretched-looking Baluchi
was thrust forward at run, with arms
dashed to his sides and pitiful look
of terror on his face. Two more Ba-
luchis were hustled along after him,
protesting little, but looking almost
as hopeless.
Once in the arena, the guards took
charge of all three of them and lined
them up facing the mullah, clubbing
them with their rifle-butts to get quick
er obedience. The crowd began to be
noisy again, but the mullah signed for
silence.
"These are traitors I" he howled, and
his voice was like VOLTS at hunting
time. "Hear, and be warned!''
The crowd grew very still, but King
saw that some men licked their lips,
as if they well knew what was coming.
"These three men came, and one was
new mani" the mullah howled. "The
other two were his witnesses! All
three swore that the first man came
from Staying an unbeliever in the teeth
Of written law. They said he ran from
the law. So, as the custom is, let all
three enter!'
"Good" said the crowd "Good ~
They might have been five thousand
judges, judging in equity, so grave they
were. Yet they licked their lips.
"But later, word came to me saying
they are liars. So-again as the GUS
tom isl ordered them bound and
held! Does any speak for them?"
Speak for them?" said the roof.
There was silence. Then there was
a murmur of establishment. Over op-
posite to where King sat the mullah
stood up. who the Pathan had said
was "Bull-with-a-beard"- Muhammad
Amin.
'The men are mine" he growled.
His voice was like a hears at bay; 1t
was low, but 1t carried strangely. And
as he spoke he swung his great head
between his shoulders, like bear that
means to charge. "The proof they
brought has been stolen! They had
good proof! I speak for them! The
men are mine!"
/ The Pathan nudged King In the ribs
with an elbow like club and tickled
his ear with hot breath.
"Buli-with-a-beard speaks TRUTH" he
grinned. "Truth and a lie together!
Good may it do him and theml They
die. they three Baluchisl"
"Proofl !" howled the mullah who had
no hair or eyelashes.
"Proofl Show us proof" yelled the
crowd.
The Pathan next King leaned over to
whisper to him again. but stiffened in