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

1t was not a long journey, nor very
slow one, for there was nothing to
block the way except occasional men
with flags, who guarded culverts and
little bridges. 1t was low tide under
the Himalayas. The flood that was
draining India of her armed men had
left Jamrud high and dry with little
nondescript force stranded there, as
1t were, under British major aud
some native officers. browning over
Jamrud were the lean Hills" peopled
by the fiercest fighting men on EARTH
and the clouds that hung over the Khy-
ber's course were an accent to the saw
agery.
But King smiled merrily as he
jumped out of the train, and Rewa
Gunga, who was there to meet him,
advanced with outstretched hand and
smile that would have melted snow
on the distant peaks if hes had only
looked the other way.
welcome, King sahib I" he laughed
with the air of skilled fencer who
admires another, better one. 81 shall
know better another time and let you
keep in front of me! I trust you had
comfortable journey?"
Thanks" said. King, shaking hands
with him, and then turning away to I'M
lock the carriage doors that held his
prisoners in. They were baying now
like wolves to be free, and they surged
out, like wolves from cage, to clamor
round the Hangar, paving him and
struggling to be the first to ask him
questions.
"Nay ye mountain people; nay!" he
laughed. II, too, am from the plains
What do I know of your families or
Of your friends? Am l to be torn to
pieces to make mealT
At that Ismail interfered, with the
aid of an ash pick handle, chance
found beside the track. Laughing as
If the whole thing was the greatest
joke imaginable, Rewa Gunga fell into
stride beside King and led him away in
the direction of some tents.
"She is up the pass ahead Of u.s." he
announced. "She was in the deuce
of q hurry, can assure you. She want
ed to wait and meet you, but matters
were too jolly well urgent, and we
shall have our bally work cut out to
catch her, you can bet But I have
everything ready-tents and beds and
stores-everything!
make sure that Ismail was bringing
the little leather bag along.
$50 have l." he said quietly.
II have horses, said Rewa Gunga,
sand mules and"
"How did she travel up the Khy-
ber?" King asked him, and the Hangar
spared him a curious sidewise glance.
'"The Hills are her escort, King sa-
hib. She is mistress in the Hills
There isn't a numbering rufiian who
would not lie down and let her walk
on him She rode away alone on
thoroughbred mare and she jolly well
left me the mares double on which to
follow her. Come and look"
Not far from where the tents had
been pitched in a cluster a string Of
horses whinnied at picket rope. King
saw the two good horses ready for
himself, and ten mules beside them
that would have done credit to any
outfit. But at the end of the line, paw
ing at the trampled grass, was q black
mare that made his eyes open wide.
Once in hundred years or so a vice.
roy's cup or Derby is won by an anil
NAL that can stand and look and move
as that mare did.
"Never saw anything better" King
admitted ungrudgingly.
'"There Is only one mare like this
one" laughed the Hangar. "She has
her"
"What'll you take for this oneT
King asked him. shame your price,"
1.-THE mare is hers. You must ask
her. Who knows? She is generous.
There is nobody on earth more gen.
erous than she when she cares to be.
See what you wear on your wrist"
"That is a loan," said King, uncover
ing the bracelet. 81 shall give 1t back
to her when we meet"
"See what she says when you meetP
laughed the Hangar, taking cigarette
from his jeweIed case with an air and
smiling as he lighted it. "There is
your tent, sahib."
With a nod Of dismissal, King
walked over to inspect the bandobast,
and finding it much more extravagant
than he would have dreamed of provid-
ing for himself, he lit one of his black