Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-04-17
The Winds of the World


want awakened from his nap on the
coloneIs door-mat and straighten
ed his turban in a hurry, perfectly
well aware that there was some
thing in the wind.
1t was too early to dress for din
ner yet; too late to dress for game:
of any kind. The servant was non
plussed. He stood in silence, await
ing orders that under ordinary cir
cumstances, or at an ordinary hour
would have been unnecessary. But
for while no orders came. The
only sound in those extremely un-
married quarters was the steady
drip of water into a fat tin bath
that the servant had put beneath q
spot where the roof leaked; the
rain had ceased but the ceiling
cloth Still dropped and drooled.
Suddenly Kirby threw himself
backward into along chair, and the
servant made ready for swift ac-
! ton.
| present my compliments to Ris-
aldar-Major Ranjoor Singh sahib
and ask him to be good enough TO
! see me here"
/ The servant saluted and was
gone Kirby relapsed again into
| the depth of the chair, staring at
the wall in front of him, letting his
eye travel from one to another of
the accurately spaced-out pictures.
pieces of furniture and trophies
that proclaimed him unmarried.
There was nothing whatever in his
quarters to decoy him from his
love. There were polo sticks in a
corner where a woman would have
placed a standard lamp, and where
the flowers should have stood was
chest to hold horse-medicines.
There was a vague smell about the
place Of varnish, polish and good
leather.
The servant was back again, stiff
at the salute, within five minutes.
"Ne hal"
mot there? Not where? Not in
his quarters? Then go and find
him. Ask where he is. Hurry"
So, since the regiment was keyed
to watchfulness, it took about five
minutes more before it was known
that RanjoOr Singh was not in bar
racks. The servant returned to re-
port that he had ben seen driving
toward the bazaar in a tikka-gharri.
Then entered Warrington, the
adjutant, and the servant was dis
missed at once.
bad business said Warrington,
looking thoroughly cheerful.
What now?'
lone of Squadron DIS men muir
dered in the bazar this afternoon.
Body's in the morgue in charge of
the police. Mother man who was
with him apparently missing. No
explanation. and the plice say
there aren't any clues"
He twisted a little black mus
tache and began to hum.
know where Ranjoor Singh is
by any chance" asked Kirby
GIVE me three guesses-no. two
One-hes raising hell with all the
police in Delhi. Two-he's at the
scene of the murder, doing detect
i've work on his own. / heard he'd
driven away-and. anyhow, it's his
squadron. Mans probably his sec
ond cousin. 20 or 30 times re-
moved"
Send SOMEBODY to find him!" or
dered Kirby.
Say you want to have a word
with him?'
Kirby nodded, and Warrington
staggered out, humming To him
self exactly as he hoped to be hum
ming when his last grim call should
come, the incarnation of efficiency.
awake and very glad A num-
Der OF seconds after he had gone
two mounted troopers clattered out
toward the bazaar. Ten minutes
later Warrington returned.
ID Squadron's squattin' on its
hunkers in rings an lookin' |
gloomy" he said. as If he were an
some good news that had !
a touch OF humor in 1t. by the |
look of 'em you'd say they'd been |
passed over for active service and |
were meditatin' matrimony."
"By Cad, Warrington! You don't