New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1918-02-01

anu because JeaiOuSy is poison Nlnt
did the wrong thing then. He pouncet
on the knife instead Of on the Hangar
lie could have questioned him-knel'
on him and perhaps forced eXplnna
tions from him. But will, II sudden
swift effort like a snakes the Rangal
freed himself and was up and gone be
fore King could struggle to his feet
gone like a shadow among shadows.
King got up and felt himself all over
for they had fought on stony ground
ana he was bruised. But bruises faded
into nothing. and WEAKNESS rs well, as
his mind began to dwell on the new
complication to LIS problem.
1t was plain that the moment he
had returned from his message to the
khyber the Hangar had been sent on
this new murderous mission. Yasmlnl
had never believed her letter would be
treated seriously by the authorities,
and had only sent It in the hope of
fooling him and undermining his de-
termination. Perhaps she saw her
W peril. Perhaps she contemplated
gosh! what a contingency .-~perhnps
she contemplated boiling into India
with a story of her own, and leaving
the mullah to his own devices! Would
she dare escape into India and leave
himself alive behind her?
There was an alternative, the very
thought Of which made him fearfully
uneasy. and yet brought a thrill with
1t. In all Eastern lands, love scOrned
takes to the dagger. He had half be-
lieved her when she swore she loved
him! The man who could imagine
himself loved by Yasmini and not be
thrilled to his core would be inhuman.
whatever reasOn and caution and caste
n creed might whisper in imagina-
tons wake.
Keeling from fatigue Che felt like n
man who had been racked. for the Ran
CARS strength was nearly unbeliev-
able), he started toward where the
mullah sat glOwering in the cav
mouth. He found the man who had
carried his bag asleep at the foot Of
the ramp, and taking the bag away
from him, let him lie there. And 1t
took him five minutes to drag his hurt.
weary bones up the ramp, for the fight
had taken more out Of him than he
lad guessed at first.
The mullah glared at him but let him
by without a word. 1t was by the fire
at the back of the cave, where he
stopped to dip water from the null
labs enormous crock, that the next
disturbing factor came to light. He
kicked n brand into the fire and the
flame leaped. It's light shone on a
yard and a half of exquisitely fine
hair, like spun gold. that caressed his
and descended down one arm.
One thread of hair that conjured up
a million thoughts. and in a second
upset every argument!
If Rewa Gunga had been neal
to her and intimate enough
with her not only to become scented
with her unmlstakable perfume but
v to get her hair on his person,
then gone was all Imagination of her
' iot IIiiiISCll lHCh SIC IIuu lieu
rom first to last! Then she had tried
o make him love her that she might
Use him, and finding she had failed, she
sent her true love with the dagger
o make an end!
In a moment he imagined a whole
as it might have been in a
of himself trapped and made
@ don the Romans armOr and forced
o pose to the savage "Hills"-Or
into posing to them-as her
while Rewa Gunga lurked be-
ind the Genes and waited for the
in the end. And what kind of
!arvest?
And what kind of man must Rewa
;unga be who could lightly let go all
he %prejudices Of the East and submit
o what only the West has endured
itherto with any complacency-a
tertium quid?"
Yet what a fool he, King. had been
OF to appreciate at ono that Rewa
iunga must be her lover. Why should
e not be? Were they not alike as
Ousins? And the East does not love
s contrary, but Its complement, being
lder in love than the West. and wiser
l its ways in all but the material.
lie had been blind. He had overlooked
he O~bviOus-that from first to last her
Ian had been to set herself and this
eva Gunga on the throne of India -!
He washed and went through the
lummery of Muslin prayers for the
'atchful mullah's sake, and climbed
n to his bed. But sleep seemed out
the question. He lay and tossed for
n hour. his mind as busy as a terrier