Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-05-10
b TALBOT
MUNDA Y.
CHAPTER XIII.
Continued

Ranjoor Singh spat again
through the opening with thorough
ness and great deliberation. Then
he proceeded to give proof that, as
Yasmini had said, he was really not
a buffalo at ALL A fool would have
taken chances with any one OF
dozen other explanations. RanJoor
Singh, with an expression that
family suggested Colonel Kirby.
picked the right, convincing one.
THE English are not bad people,
he said simply. They have LEFT
India better than they found 1t.
They have been unselfish. They
have treated US soldiers fairly and
honorabIy. We would not have re-
VOTED had the opportunity not
come, but we have long been wait
ing for the opportunity.
1--WE are not madmen-we are
soldiers. We know the value OF
mere words. We have kept our
plans Secret frHm the merchants
and the hillmen, knowing well that
they would all follow our lead. II
you think that you, or Germany,
have persuaded us, you are mis-
taken. You could not persuade me,
or any other true soldier, if you
tried for fifty years.
ut is because we had decided on
revolt already that l was willing to
listen to your offer of assistance.
We understand that Germany ex-
poets to gain advantage from our
revolt, but we can not help that;
that. is incidental. AS soldiers, we
accept what aid we can get from
anywherei"
"So?" said the German.
ia" said Ranjoor Singh. &And
that is why, if you fail me, | shah
give you to Yasmini's cObras."
you will admit" said the Ger
man, when l have shown you, that
Germany's foresight has been long
and shrewd. Your great chance of
success. my friends, like Germany's
in this war, depends on a sudden,
swift. tremendous success at first;
the rest will follow as a logical
corollary. 1t is the means of Sc
curing that first success that we
have been making ready for you for
two years and more"
"You should have credit for
great secrecy" admitted Ranjoor
Singh. Until a little while ago l
had heard nothing of any German
plans"
Russia got the blame for what
little was guessed att" laughed the
German.
"Oh!" said Ranjoor Singh.
A little before midday they reach
ed the Ajmere Gate, and the lum-
bering cart passed under it. At the
farther side the driver stopped his
oxen without orders. and Ranjoor
Singh stopped out, looking quickly
up and own the road. There were
people about, but none whom he
chose to favor with a second glance.
Close by the gate, almost under
the shadow of it, and so drab and
dirty as to be almost unnoticeable,
there was a. little cotton-tented
booth, with a stock of lemonade
and sweetmeats, that did not inter-
est him. He looked three times at
it, and at the third look a Moham-
medan wriggled out of it and walk
ed away without a word.
Gomez" commanded Ranjoor
SlHSH,
the cart. looking not so very much
unlike the poor Mohammedan who
had gone away.
"Fet in there!" The German
slipped into the real owners place.
So far as appearances went, he was
a very passable sweetmeat and
lemonade seller. and Ranjoor Singh
proved competent to guard against
contingencies.
He picked a long stick out of the
gutter and took his stand near by,
frowning as he saw a carriage he
suspected to be Yasmini's drive IN
der the gate and come to a stand
at the roadside so or 60 yards way.
"If the officers should recognize
me-" he growled to the German,
though seeming not to talk to him
at all. 81 should be arrested at once
and shot later. But the men will
recognize me, and you shall see
what you shall see!"
Three small boys came with a
coin to spend, but Ranjoor Singh
drove them away with his long
stick. One threw stone at
him, but finally they decided he
was some new sort of plain-clothes
"constabeel," and went away.
One after another several ma
tives came to make purchases, but.
not being boys any longer, a gruff
word was enough to send them
running. And then came the clat-
ter of hoofs of the advance guard.
and the German looked to see a fire
in Ranjoor Singh's eyes that a
Gagged tiger could not have outdone.