Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1918-01-18
,y TALBOT MUNDY

them to death. San eye for the risk
Of an eye!" say the unforgiving "Hills."
IF one of us should go back into
his camp now he would be tort Ired.
Be sure of that"
Breathing deeply in the darkness.
they nodded, as if the dark had eyes.
IsmaiPs chin drove a fraction deeper
into his shoulder.
Nov We know-for all men know
that the entrance into Khinjan caves is
free to any man who can tell lie
without finching. 1t is the way out
again that is not free. How many men
do We know that have entered and
never returnedw
They all nodded again. 1t was COM
mon knowledge that Khinjan was a
very graveyard of the presumptuous.
"She has set trap for the mullah.
She will let him and all his men enter
and will never let them out again p
"How knowest thou?" This from
two men, one on either hand.
"Was I never in Khinjan cavesY he
retorted. "Whence came I? / am her
man, sent to help trap the mullah!
would have trapped all of you, but for
being weary of these Hills and wish
doned! That is who / am! That is
how know!''
Their breath came and went sibi-
lantly, and the darkness was alive with
the excitement they thought them
selves too warrior-like to utter.
"But what will she do then?" asked
somebody.
King searched his memory, and in
moment there came back to him a
picture of the hurrying jezailchi he
had held up in the Khyber pass, and
recollection of the mans words.
''Know We not" he said, that long
ago she gave leave to all who ate salt
to be true to the salt? She gave the
Khyber jezailchis leave to fight against
her. Be sure, whatever she does, she
will stand between no man and his
pardOn!"
"But will she lead jihad? We will
not fight against her!"
may" said King, drawing his breath
in. Ismail's chin felt like a knife
against his collar bone, and IsmaiTs
iron fingers clutched his arm. 1t was
| time to give his hostage to Dame For
tune. "She will go down into India
and use her influence in the matter of
the pardons
81 believe thou art very great liar
indeed!" said the man who lacked part
of his nose. 1.-The Pathan went, and
he did not come back. What proof
have WEI"
"Ye have mel" said King. eff
show you no proof, how can I escape
your
They all grunted agreement as to
that. King used his elbow to hit Is
mail in the ribs. He did not dare
for Ismail to carry information to her,
supposing that to be his job. And after
minute Ismail rolled into a shadow
and was gone. King gave him twenty
minutes start, letting his men rest
their legs and exercise their tongues
Now that he was out of the mullah's
clutches-and he suspected Yasmini
would know of it within an hour or
two. and before dawn in any event
he began to feel like player in game
| of chess who fOreSeeS his opponent
mate in so many moves.
If Yasmini were to let the mullah
and his men into the caves and to join
forces with him in there, he would at
least have time to hurry back to India
with his eighty men and give warning.
He might have time to call up the khy-
Der iezailchis and blockade the caves
before the hive could swarm, and he
chuckled to think of the hope Of that.
On the other hand, If there was to
be a battle royal between Yasmini and
the mullah, he would be there to watch
1t and TO comfort India with the news.
snow we will go on again, In order
to be close to Khinjan at break Of day."
he said, and they all got up and obeyed
him as if his word had been law to
them for years. OF all of them he was
the only man In doubt-he who seemed
most confident of all.
They swung along into the darkness
under low-hung stars, trailing behind
Kings horse, with only half a dozen of
them hundred yards or so ahead as
an advance guard, and all of them ex-
pecting to see Khinjan loom above each
next valley, for distances and darkness
are deceptive in the Hills" even to
trained eyes Suddenly the advance
guard halted, but did not shoot. And
as King caught up with them he saw
they were talking with someone.
He had to ride up close before he
recognized the Orakzai Pathan.
'Salaam!" said the fellow with a
grin. 81 bring one hundred and
elevenr'
AS he spoke graveyard shadows rose
out of the darkness around and leaned
on rifles.
BE We men all ex-soldiers Of the
raj?" King asked them.
"Ayel" they growled In chorus.
"Who gave you leave to conner" King
asked.
"Nonel He told us of the pardons