The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1918-02-22

eighty yards before IL began TO curve
and its din was like the voice Of all Gre
alton.
Ismail came and stood by King ID
silence, taking his hand, as little child
might. Presently he stopped and
picked up stone and tossed it over.
"Gone !" he said simply. saThat down
there is Earth's Drinkr'
"And this is the Heart of the Hills
men boast about?"
"Nayl It is mott" snapped Ismail.
''Then, where"
But the one-eyed guide beckoned i'm
patiently, and King led the way after
him, staring as hakim or prisoner OF
any man had right to do on first ad
mission to such wonders. Not to have
stared would have been to proclaim
himself an idiot.
They soon began to pass the mouths
Of caves. Some were above the road
now and then at crazy heights above
it, reached by artificial steps hewn on.
of the stone. Others were below
reached from the road by means Of lad
ders, that trembled and swayed over
the dizzying waterfall. Most Of tbs
caves were inhabited, for armed meg
and sullen women came to their en-
frances to stare.
Ears grow accustomed to the s0unf
of water sooner than to almost any
thing. It was not long before King
ears could catch the patter Of his men'
feet following, and the shod clink o
the mule. He could hear when Ismai
whispered:
"Be brave, little halsim! She love.
fearless men!"
At last the guide halted, in the mid
die of a short steep slope where thu
path was less than six feet wide and
narrow cave mouth gave directly ont
it.
BE content to rest here!" he said
pointing.
"Thy cave?" asked King.
may. Gods! am the caretakerr
The "Hills" are very pious and Pc
lite, between the acts of robbing ant
shedding blood.
"Allah, then, reward thee, brotherf
answered King. "Allah give sight t.
thy blind eyel allah give thee chill
dren! Allah give thee peace, and =
all thy housew
! The guide salaamed, half-mockingly
half-wondering at such eloquence
paused in the passage to point int
the side caves that debouched to eithe
hand, turned on his heel and stalkes
out of the cavern. 1t was the las
King ever saw of him.
King turned back and looked int
the other caves-saw the weary horst
and mule fed, watered and beddet
down--took note of the running waite:
that rushed out Of rock assure and
gurgled out of sight down another onf
examined the servants cave and saw
that they had been amply provided
with blankets. There was nothing lack
ing that the most exacting- travele'
could have demanded at such, a dis
lance from civilization. There wa:
more than the most exacting would
have dared expect.
"Ismail I" he shouted, and jumped a.
the revolver-cracklike echo Of his voice
Ismail came running.
snake the men carry the mule's
packs into this cave. You and Darys
Khan stay here and help me oper
them. Remember. We are both assist
ants Of Kurram Khan, the hakimv'
"They will laugh at us! They VIII
laugh at us!" clucked Ismail, but HI
hurried to obey, while King wondered
who would laugh.
Within an hour q delegation came
from no less q person than Yasmin,
herself, bearing her compliments, and
hot food savory enough to make
brass idols mouth water. BY this tint
King had his sets Of surgical instru
ments and drugs and bandages all laid
out on one Of the beds and covered
from view by a blanket.
1t was only one more proof Of the
British army's everlasting luck that
one of the men, who set the great brass
dish of food on the floor near King.
had a swollen cheek, and that he
SholIld fouch fha swelling cluYnsi1v as