Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1918-02-02

pistol crack. This was something tan
gible, that man could tackle-a per-
feet antidote for nerves.
The blue light continued Cd zig
gag course, as If q man were running
among powders with an unusual sort
of torch: and as there was no answer
King drew his pistol, took about thirty
seconds aim and fired. He fired
straight at the blue light.
1t vanished instantly, into measure
less black silence.
"Now you've jolly we'll done IL,
haven't you'll" the Hangar laughed in
his ear. THAT was her blue light
Yasmni'si"
1t was minute before King an
swered, for both animals were all but
frantic with their sense of their rid
ers' state of mind, Ii needed horse
manship to get them back under con-
| troll.
How do you know whose light 1t
wasT King demanded, when the
horse and mare were head to head
| again.
1T was prearranged. She promised
me q signal at the point where ! am
to leave the traekp
King drove both spurs home, and
set his unwilling horse to scrambling
downward at an angle he could not
guess into blackness he could feel,
trusting the animal to find footing
where his own eyes could make out
nothing.
To his disgust he heard the Ran
| gar Immediately. TO his even greater
disgust the black mare overlook him.
And even then, with his own mount
stumbling and nearly pitching him
headforemost at each lurch, he was
forced to admire the mares goatlike
| agility, for she descended into the
gorge in running leaps, never setting
wrong foot, When he and his horse
reached the bottom at last he found
| the Hangar waiting for him.
"This way, sahibl p
The next he knew sparks from the
black mares heels were kicking up
in front of him, and wild ride had
begun such as he had never yet
dreamed Of. There was no catching
up, for the black mare could gallop
two to his horses one; hut he set
his teeth and followed into solid
night, trusting ear, eye guesswork
and the god Of the secret service
men, who loves the reckless.
Once In every two minutes he
caught sight for second of the same
blue siren light that had started the
race. He suspected that there were
many torches placed at intervals.
His own horse developed a speed
and stamina he had not suspected, and
probably the Hangar did not dare ex-
tend the mare to her limit in the
dark; at all events, for ten, perhaps
fifteen, minutes of GREATNESS gallop-
ing he almost made race OF 1t, keep
ing the Hangar either within sight or
sound.
But then the mare swerved sud-
denly behind bowlder and was gone.
He spurred round the same great rock
a minute later, and was faced by a
blank wall Of shale that brought his
horse up all standing. 1t led steep up
for thousand feet to the skyline.
There was not so much as goat
track to show in which direction the
mare had gone, nor sound of any
kind to guide him,
He dismounted and stumbled about
on foot for about ten minutes with
his eyes two feet from the earth, try
ing to find some trace Of hoof. Then
he listened, with his ear to the
ground. There was no result.
He knew better than to shout.
After some thought he mounted and
began to hunt the way back, remem-
bering turns and twists with a gift
for direction that natives might well
have envied him. He found his way
back to the foot Of the road at a
trot where ninety-nine men out Of al
most any hundred would have been
lost hopelessly; and close to the road
he overlook Darya Khan, hugging his
rifle and staring about like a scorpion
at bay.
'Did you expect that blue light. and
this galloping away" he asked.
"Nay, sahib; / knew nothing Of 1t |
was told to lead the way to kim
jan"
"Come on, then !"
On the level road above King stared
about him and felt In his pockets for
fresh cheroot. He struck q match
and watched 1t to be sure his hand
did not shake before he spoke. A
man must command himself before
trying 1t on others.
"Where are the othersT he asked,
when he was certain Of himself.
"G0ne p doomed Ismall.
King took a dozen pulls at the
cheroot and stared about again. In
the middle Of the road stood his Sec
ond horse, and three mules with his
baggage, including the unmarked
medicine chest. Close to them were
three men, making the party now only
six all told including Darya Khan,
himself and Ismail.
"Gone whlther" Ismail's voice was
eloquent Of shocked surprise. "They
followed Was it then. thy baggage
an the other mllles? Were thew thv