Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-04-09
The Winds OF the World

copyrighted py Inc bOpo9 -'AeA IL ~ :
how he woulds heel, tooth and eye
all flashing, Bagh was forced to
hold his rightful place in front of
the squadron. precisely the right
distance behind the last supernum-
erary of the squadron next in front.
Line after ripping line, all Sikhs
of the true Sikh baptism except for
the eight of their officers who were
European, Outram's Own swept
down a living avenue Of British
troops; and neither gunners nor
infantry could see one flaw in~them,
although picking flaws in native
regiments is almost part of the
British army officers religion.
To the blare of military music.
through a bog of their own mixing,
the Silhs trOtted for a mile, then
drew into a walk. to bring the
horses into barracks cool enough
for watering
They reached the stables as the
sun dipped under the nearby aca-
cha trees. and while the black
bearded troopers scraped and rub
bed the mud from weary horses,
Ranjoor Singh went through a task
whose form at least was part of
his very life. He could imagine
nothing les than death or active
service that could keep him from
inspecting every horse in the squad
ron before he ate or drank, or as
much as washed himself.
But, although the day-had been ii
hard one and the strain on the
horses more than ordinary. his ex-
animation now was so perfunctory
that the squadron gaped; the troop
ers sigHaled with their eyes as he
passed, little more than glancing at
each horse. Almost before his back
had vanished at the stable en-
trance. wonderment burst into
words
For the third time he does
thus
See, My beast overreached.
and he passed without detecting it.
Does the sun set the same way
still?"
- Ihaye noticed that he does thus
each time after a field-dsy What
is the connection? A field-day in
the rains-a general officer talking
to us afterward about the Salt as
if a Sikh does not understand the
Salt better than a British general
knows English-and our risaldar-
major neglecting the horses - is
there a connection
Aye. What is all this? We
worked no harder in the war
against the Chitralis There is
something in my bones that speaks
of war, when l listen for while!"
War. Hear him, brothers! Talk
is talk, but there will be no war
until India grows too fat TO breathe
unless the past he remembered
and we make one for ourselves!"
There was, a silence for a while,
if a change of sounds is silence.
The Delhi mud sticks as tight as
any, and the gneading of it from
out of horsehair taxes most of the
troopers energy and full attention.
Then. the East being the East IN
all things. solitary trooper picked
up the scent and gave tongue as
a rtue hound guides the pack.
Who is she?" he wondered, loud
enough for so men to hear.
~From out of a cloud OF horse
dust. where a stable helper on pro-
baton -combed a tangled tail, came
one word of swift enlightenment.
''Yasminii"
"Ah-h-h-hi"
In second the whole squadron
was by the ears, and the stable
helper was the center OF an inter
est he had not bargained for.
Nay. sahibs. but followed him.
and how should | know? Nay,
then l did not follow him, 1t so
| took that road. aud |
he stepped out of Tiltka-gharri at
her door Am | blind DO | not
know her door? Does not every
body know il? Whom am | that
| should know why he goes again?
But does a moth nv only once 10 !
the lamp fame? Does "A drunkard |
drink hut once? BY tina Gnru- nay!