New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1918-02-08
By TALBOT MUNDY

l They all nodded again. II was com
mon knowledge that Khinjan was {
: very graveyard Of the presumptuOus
"She has set n trap for the mullah
. She will let him and all his men cntel
AMI will never let them out again =
"Ilow knowcst thou?" This from
two men, one on either hand.
Was never in Khlnjan caves?" hi
rctorted. Whence came |? l am hel
man, sent to help trap the mullah!
would have trapped all of you, but fol
being weary of these Hills and wish
full to go back to India and be par
doncd! That is who ! am! That il
how | know"
Their breath came and went sibl
lantly. and the darkness was alive with
the excitement they thought them
selves too warriOr-like to utter.
"But what will she do them" asked
somebody.
King searched his memory, and in
n moment there came back to him q
picture of the hurrying jezailchi he
had held up in the Khyber pass, and
recollection of the mans words.
"KnOw ye not" he said, that long
ago she gave leave to all who ate salt
to be true to the salt? She gave the
Khyber jezailchis leave to fight against
her. BE sure, whatever she does, she
will stand between no man and his
PARDON"
but will she lead Il jihad? We will
not fight against her"
Nay" said King. drawing his breath
in. %Isinail's chin felt like Il knife
against his collar bone, and Ismails
Iron fingers clutched his arm. 1t was
time To give his hostage to Dame For
tune. "She will go down into India
and use her influence in the matter Of
the pardons!"
~ believe thou art u very great liar
indeed. !" said the man who lacked part
of his nose. The Pathan went, and
he did not come back. What proof
have WEI"
aye have me !" said King. IF l
show you no proof. how can | escape
youT"
They all grunted agreement as to
that. King. used his elbow to hit Is
mail i'm the ribs. He did o dare
speak to him; but now was the time
for Isnail to carry information to her,
supposing that to be his job. And after
II minute Ismail rolled into a shadow
and was gone. King gave him twenty
minutes start. letting his men rest
their legs and exercise their tongues
Now that.he was out of the mullah's
clutches-nnd he suspected Yasmini
would know of it within an hour or
two, and before dawn in any event
he began to feel like n player in u game
of chess who f~oresees his opponent
mate in so many moves.
If YasInini were to let the mullah
and his men into the caves and to join
forces with him in there, he would at
least have time to hurry back to India
with his eighty men and give warning.
He might have time to call up the Khy-
Der jezailchls and blockade the caves
before the hive could swarm, and he
chuckled to think of the hope of that.
On the other hand, If there was to
be a battle royal between Yasmini and
the mullah. he would be there to watch
It and to comfort India with the news.
"Now we will 60 on again. in order
to be close to Khinjnn at break Of day"
he said, and they all got up and obeyed
them for years. OF all Of them he was
the only man in doubt-he who seemed
most confident of all.
They swung along into the darkness
under lOw-hung stars, trailing behind
Kings horse, with only half a dozen of
them a hundred yards or so ahead as
an advance guard, and all of them ex-
pecting to see Khinjan loom above each
next valley. for distances and darkness
are deceptive in the Hills" even to
trained eyes Suddenly the advance
guard halted, but did not shoot. And
as King caught up with them he saw
they were talking with someone.
He had to ride up close before he
recognized the Orakzai Pathan.
"Salaam! !" said the fellow with a
grin. II bring one hundred and
eleven ~ ., ..
AS he spoke graveyard shadows rose
out of the darkness around and leaned
o rifles. 4
"Be We men all ex-soldiers of the
raj% King asked them. a..
aye" they growled In chorus.
who gave you leave to Gomez" King |
asked. sc. .pi.
"None. He told us of the pardons
and we came"
"Aye!" said the Orakzal Pathan,
drawing King aside. But she gave
leave to seek, them out and tempt
"And what does she intend?" King
asked him suddenly.
"She?. Ask Allah. who put the spirit
in her!. How should | know
"We will march again, my brothers |"
King shouted, and they streamed along
behind him, now with no advance
but with the Orakzai Pathan
strldihg beside Kings horse, with a
great hand on the saddle. Like the
others, he seemed decided in. his mind
that the haklm ought not to be allowed
much chance to. escape.
Just as the dawn was tinting the
surrounding peaks with softest rose
they topped a ridge, and Khinjan lay
below them across the, mile-wide bone
dry valley. Aud while they watched,
and the 'Khi1jan. men were beginning
to murmuri (for- sthey-needed no last
view. of the place TO Satisfy any long
ingsD none else than IsmaiI rose from