The Red Cloud chief., 1918-01-17
CHAPTER xix--continued.

p
King nodded again, for nod Is less
eOmmittal than word; and the nod
was enough to start the mullah of
again.
II saw the Sleeper and his bride be-
fore she knew of eitherl 1t was ! who
let her into KhInjani It was I who
told the men she Is the Heart Of the
Hills come to lifel She trlcked me
But this is no hour for bearing grudges.
She has a plan and am minded to
help"
King lay still and looked up at-him.
sure that treachery was the ultimate
end of any plan the mullah Muham-
mad Amin had. India has been saved
by the treachery Of her enemies more
often thnn ruined by false friends. So
has the world, for that matter.
"A jihad when the right hour comes
will raise the tribes" the mullah
growled. "She and thou. as the Sleep
er and his mate, could work wonders.
But who can trust herr She stole that
head She stole all the ammunition
Does she surely love thee2"
King nodded again, for modesty
could not help him at that juncture.
Love and boastfulness 60 together In
the "Hills-"
"She shall have thee back. then. at q
pricew
King did nSt answer. His brown eyes
watched the mullah's. and he drew his
breath IN little Jerks, lest by breath.
Ing aloud he should miss one word of
what was coming.
"She shall have thee back against
Khinjan and the ammunitionl She
and thou shall have India, but I shall
be the power behind you'll have men
In Khinjani have as many as she |!
On the day I march there will be re-
volt within. She would better agree
to termsi"
King lay looking at him, like pris-
oner on the rack undergoing examlna-
ton. He did not answer.
"Write thou letter. Since she loves
thee. state thine own case to her. Tell
her that hold thee hostage. and that
Khinjan Is mine already for little
lighting. In month she cannot pick
out my men from among her own. Her
position Is undermined. Tell her that.
Tell her that II she obeys she shall
have india and be queen. II she dis.
obeys. she shall die In the Cavern of
Earth's DrinkP
she is proud woman, mullah," nn.
swered King. "Threats to such as
she-?"
The mullah mumbled and strobe
back and forth three times between
Kings bed and the fire, with his fists
knotted together behind him and his
head bent. as Napoleon used to walk.
When he stood beside the bed again at
last II was with his mind made up, as
Ms clenched fists and his eyes indl-
Gated.
Make thine own terms with her -
ne growled. "Wrlte the letter and
send 1t! l hold thee; she holds Khin-
Jan and the ammunition. am between
her and India. So be It. She shall
starve In there! She shall lie In there
until the war Is over and take what
terms are offered her In the end Write
thine own letter! State the case, and
bid her answeri'
very WELL" said King. He began
to see now definitely how India was to
be saved. 1t was none of his business
to plan yet, but to help others plans
destroy themselves and to sow such
seed In the broken ground as might
bear fruit In time.
The mullah left him, to squat and
gaze into the fire, and mutter, and King
lay still. After while the mullah went
to the mouth Of the cave. to stand and
stare out at the camp where the thou.
sand fires were dying fitfully and wood
smoke purged the air Of human nasti.
ness. The stars looked down on him
and he seemed to try to read them
standing with fists knotted together al
his back.
And al he stood so. six other mul
lahs came to him and began to argu,
with him in low tones, he browbeatlni
them all with furious words hissed be
tween half-closed teeth. They were
whispering still when King fell asleep
1t was courage, not carelessness, tina
let him sleep-cOurage and grea
hope born Of the mullahs perplexity.