Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1918-02-23

SHOWING, Kicking ana elbOWlng Win
set purpose, Ismail forced way
through the already seated crowd and
drew King down into the cramped
space beside him, close enough to the
arena to be able to catch the guards
low laughter But he was restless He
wished TO get nearer yet, only there
seemed no room anywhere in front.
Then a guard threw his shield down
with clang and deliberately fired his
rifle at the roof. The rcochettlng bull
let brought down shower of splnt-
cred stone and stalactite, and he
grinned as he watched the crowd dodge
| TO avoid it.
Instantly a hundred men rose from
different directions and raced for the
arena, each with 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
Is nothing wilder in all the world It's
like can only be seen under the shadow
of the Hills"
Ismall seemed obsessed by the spirit
of hades let loose--drawn by Ii, as by a
magnet, although subsequent events
proved him not to have been altogether
without plan. He got up, with his
eyes fixed on the dance, and thrust
himself and King next TO some Orak-
zai Pathans, elbowing sayagely 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 swift
side glance at Kings face he changed
to full stare, his scowl slowly CIV
Ing place to grin as he recognized
him.
"Allah" He drove the long blade
back again.
"Well met, hakim See--the wound
heals tinelyl'
Barring his shoulder under the smelly
sheepskin coat, he lifted a bandage
gingerly TO show the clean opening out
of which King had coaxed bullet the
j day before. Ii looked wholesome and
ready to heal.
Name thy reward, hakim! We
OrakZai Pathans forget no favors "
(Now that boast was true one,l
King nodded more to himself than to
| In 9TH Ia cd In.
stance, very much to know who was
planning n jihad, and who "Bull-with-
aboard" might be but 1t was not safe
to conflde just yet Ia chance-made ac-
quaintance, A very fair acquaintance
with some phases OF the East had
taught him that names such as Bull
with-a-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 1t 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 better view,
and he had to dodge from side to side
to see between them.
"Tm not to doctor his men. There
fore it's fair guess that he and are
to be kept apart. Therefore he'll be as
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 to see over the dancers
heads. He succeeded presently, for
the Orakzoi Pathan saw what he want
ed and in his anxiety to be agreeable,
reached forward to pull back box
from between the ranks In front. Its
owners offered instant fight, but made
no further objection when they saw
who wanted 1t and why. King won
dered at their sudden change Of mind.
! He found 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-
actly opposlte--three rows from the
front, counting the front row as one
there sits man with a black beard
whose shoulders are like a bulls. AS
he sits he hangs his head between
them. Look See! Tell me truly
what his name isP'
The Pathan got up and strobe for
ward to stand on the box, kicking aside
the elbows that leaned on 1t and laugh
ing vhen the owners cursed him. He
stood on 1t and stared for five minutes,
counting deliberately three times over,
striking Il finger on the palm Of his
hand to check himself
ulI-wth-a-beard !" he announced
at last, dropping back into place beside
King. "Muhammad Amin. The mullah
Muhammad Amin"
"An Afghan King asked.
"He says he Is an Afghan. But I'm.
less he lies he is from Ishtambou
(Constantinople).'
Itching to ask more questions. King
the hakin Kurram Khan--blinked
mildly behind bis spectactes and looked
like one to whom n savage might safe.