The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1918-06-20
By TALBOT MUNDY
Copy sshs BY the Bobes-Msrnn Compare

r 'sh' Is W " hiNAhhh
these three years! Bombs and rifles
and cartridges! Muhammad Anim's
men, whom he trusts because he must.
hid IL all In a cave | showed them. that
they think, and he thinks, has only one
entrance to IL. Muhammad Amin sealed
1t, and he has the key. But l have
the ammunition
There was another way put Of that
cave, although there is none now, for
l have blocked II. My men. whom !
trust because l know them, cn"ried ev.
erything out by the back way, and |
have II all. We, my warrior. when Mu-
hammad Amin gets the word from Ger.
many and gives the sign, and the Hills
are afire, and the whole East roars In
the flame Of the jlhad-we will put our
selves at the head of that Jihad, and
the East and the world IL oursl"
King smiled ut her.
THE East isn't very well armed"
he objected. Mere numbers"
"Numbers?' She laughed at him.
The West has the West by the throat
II is tearing itself! They will drag In
America! There will be no armed ma
lion with Its hands free-and while
those wolves fight, other wolves sllnll
come and steal the meat! The old
gods, who built these caves In the
Hills are laughing! They are get
ting ready! Thou and /"
AS she coupled him and herself TO.
gether In II plan she read the
changed expression Of his face-the
very quickly passing cloud that even
the best-trained man cannot control.
II know - she asserted, sitting up
right and coming out of her dream to
face facts as their master. She looked
more lovely nov thar ever. although
twice as dangerous. You are thinking
Of your brother-of his head That |
am II murderess who can never be your
friend! Is that not soi"
He did not answer, but his eyes may
have betrayed something, for she
looked as If he had struck her.
"Oh, i have needed you so much,
these many years And now that you
have come you want to hate me be-
cruse you think | killed your brother
Listen!
without my leave, Muhammad Amin
sent five hundred men on n foray
toward the Khyber. Northumberland
needed an Engllshman's head, for
proof for Il spy OF his who could not
enter KhinJan caves. Tho. trappri
your brother outside Ali Masjid with
fifty OF his men. They took his head
after n long fight, leaving more than
q hundred OF their own in payment.
"Full-with-a.beard was pleased. Bu.
he was careless, and | sent my men to
steal the head from his men. needed
evidence for you. And | YEA TO you
i swear TO you by my gods who have
brought us two togethcr-tha, | first
knew it was your brothers head when
you held It up in the Cavern of Earth's
Drink Then | knew 1t could not be
anybody else's head"
why bid me throw II TO them,
theny' he asked her, and he was aware
OF her scorn before the words had left
his lips.
She leaned back again and looked Mt
him through lowered eyes, as II she
must study him NIL anew, She seemed
to find 1t hard TO believe that he really
thought so In the commonplace.
what is a head TO me. or to you
a head with no life In it-carrion =
compared TO what shall be? Would
you have known II was his head If you
had thrown 1t TO them when l ordered
your"
lie understood. Some OF her blood
typG RnGgiun AZ, TnItnn Shn GtnHI
up, and OF course he stood up, too. So.
she on the foOtStOOl Of the throne, her
eyes n his were on a level. She laid
hands on his shoulders and looked into
his eyes until b. could see his own
twin portraits In hers, that were glow
ing sunset pools. Heart Of the Hillsi
The heart Of all the East seemed 10
burn in her, rebellious
Are you believing mef" she asked
him.
lie nodded, for no man could have
helped believing her. AS she knew
the truth, she was telling II to him
as surely as she was doing her skill
full best TO mesmerlze him. But the
secret service Is made up Of mer
trained against that.
"Come !" she said. and stepping
down she took his arm.
She led him past the thrones Il
other leather curtains In a wall. ant
!, through them into long hewn passage.
= from cavern TO cavern, until even thu
ROCK OF Gibraltar seemed like q doll'
house In comparison. She showed hin
. u u v containing great FORCES. WHERE
] the bronze had been worked. with
I charcoal still piled up against the wal
I at n end. There were copper ard til
lngots In there OF q shape he had nevel
seen.
| II know where they came from,
e she told him. II made II my bushes,
d to know all the Hills I know thing
b the hillmen's great-great-great-grand
fathers forgotl I know old working
9 that would make a modern nation rich
o We shall have money when we neet
Il. never feari We shall conquer In
q dia while the English backs are turne,
and the best troops are overseas"
Then abe called him her yarrior an,