The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1918-05-30

SHOWING, klCklnk uhu t'o'"'"e "'
set purpose, Ismail forced a way
through the already seated crowd ana
drew King down into the crnmped
space beside him. close enough to the
arena TO be able 10 catch the guards
low laughter. But he wns restless. Hr
wished to get nearer yet, only there
seemed no room anywhere In front.
Then a guard threw his shield down
with q clang and deliberately hred his
rife at the roof. The ~ricochetting bull
let brought down q shower OF splint-
cred stone and stalhctite, and he
grinned as he watched the crowd dodge
to avoid II.
Instantly q hundred men rose from
different directions and raced for the
arena. each with q curved sword In
either hand. The yelling changed back
into the chant. only louder than BEFORE
and by that much more terrible. Gym
balls crashed. The music box resumed
its measured grinding Of the "Marseil-
laise." And the hundred began an
Afridi sword dance, than which there
II nothing wilder in all the world. Its
like can only be seer under the shadow
Of the Hills"
Ismail seemed obsessed by the spirit
Of hades let loose-drnwn by II, as by O
magnet, although subsequent events
proved him not to have been altogether
without a plan. He got up, with his
eyes fixed or the dance. and thrust
himself and King next to some Orak-
sai Pathans. elbowing savagely to right
and left TO make room. And patience
proved scarce. The nearest man
reached for the ever-ready Pathan
knife, but paused In the instant that
his knife licked clear. From a swift
side glance at Kings face he changed
to q full stare, his scowl slowly CIV
Ing place to q grin as he recognized
him.
allah" He drove the long blade
back again.
"well met, hakiml See-the wound
heals finely
Barring his shoulder under the smelly
sheepskin coat. he lifted a bandage
gingerly to show the clean opening out
Of which King had coaIed n bullet the
day before. II looked wholesome and
ready to heal.
Name thy reward, hakim! We
Orakzai Pathans forget no favors !"
(Now that boast was a true one.)
King nodded more 10 himself than to
the other man He needed, for in
stance, very much TO know who was
planning a jihad, and who "Bull-with-
aboard" might be but 1t was not safe
10 confide just yet In n chance.made nc
quaintance. A very fair acquaintance
with some phases Of the East had
taught him that names such us Bull
with-n.beard are often almost photo
graphically descriptive. He rose to his
feet to look. A blind man can talk, but
1t takes trained eyes to gather informa-
ton.
The din had increased, and II was
safe TO stand up and stare. because all
eyes were on the madness In the mid
die. There were plenty besides him.
self who stood TO get n better view,
and he had to dodge from side to side
TO see between them.
I'm not to doctor his men. There
fore It's a fair guess that he and nre
TO be kept apart. Therefore he'll be az
far away from me now as possible,
%supposing he's here"
Reasoning along that line. he tried
to see the faces on the far side, but the
problem was 10 see over the dancers
heads. He succeeded presently, for
the Orakzai Pathan saw what he want.
ed. and In his anxiety to be agreeable.
reaches forward to pull back a box
from between the ranks in front. It's
owners offered instant fight, but made
no further objection when they saw
who wanted II and why. King won
dered at their sudden change Of mind.
He found a man soon who was not
Interested In the dancing, but who had
eyes and ears apparently for every.
thing and everybody else. He watched
him for ten minutes, until at last their
eyes met. Then he sat down and
Kicked the box back to Its owners. He
touched the Pathan's broad shoulder
The man smiled and bent his turbaned
head to listen.
Opposite" said King, NEARLY ex.
actiy opposite-three rows from the
front, counting the front row as one
there sits a man with a black beard.
whose shoulders are like a bulls. Az
he sits he hangs his head between
them. Look! See! Tell me truly
what his name is -
The Pathan got up and strobe for.
ward to stand on the box. kicking aside
the elbows that leaned on It and laugh
Ing v'hen the owners cursed him. He
TODD on II and stared for Ave minutes.
counting deliberately three times over.
striking n finger on the palm of his
hand to check himself.
"Bull'with.a.beard he
at last, dropping bacl; into place beside
King, "Muhammad Amin. The mullah
Muhammad Amin"
An Afghan" King asked.
He says he is an Afghan. But nm,
less he lies he is from Ishtambo,k
(Constantinople)."
Itching TO ask more questions, King
the hakin Kurram Khan-blinked