New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1918-01-25

NAN With tHc Dolls WouIu never nave
stood two turns on guard hand run
ming and let the relief sleep III so he
would not have been on duty when the
message came to carry Kings belong
ingS to his new cave of residence.
There would have been no object In
killing the dumb man, and sc there
would have been an expert with a load
ed rife to keep Muhammad Amin Turk
ing down the trail.
Muhammnd Amin came-like the
devil, TO scotch Kings faith. He had
followed the women with the loads.
He stood now, like II big bear on a
mountain track, swaying his head from
side to side six feet away. King
jumped, nearly driving the lance into
Il new place in his patients neck.
"Let him go." growled Muhnmmad
Amin. eco, thou! Stand guard over
the women until | come"
The mullah turned Il rifle this way
and that in his paws, like a great bear
dancing. The very OrakZai Pathan
who had sat next King in the Cavern
of Elrth's Drink, was creeping up be-
hind the and already had his
rifle levelcd at the man with bolls.
"Aye.' said the mullnh. watching
Kings eyes. HE has done well. and
the road is clear"
The man with boils offered no fight.
He dropped his rifle and threw his
hands up. In IL moment the Orakzai
pnthan was in command of two rifles,
holding King from among the women,
whom he seemed to regard as his plum
der too. The women appeared SUI
prenIely Indifferent in any event. King
nodded back to him. A friend is Il
friend in the Hills" and rare is the
man who spares his enemy.
"NOne ONE to earn n living in the
Hills" growled the mullah, swaying
his head slowly and devouring King
with cruel calculating eyes. "Why art
thou here?"
II slew Il man. said King.
"Thou lest 1t was my men who got
the head that let thee in! Speak |!
why art thou here?"
But King did not answer. The null
lah resumed.
"He who brought me the message
yesterday says he has ii from another.
who had it from n third. that thou art
here because she plans n simultaneous
rising in India. and thou art from the
Punjab where the Sikhs all wait to
rise. Is that true?"
sThx, man cni1 II ~ opcvraraI Ly;nn
"Then hear me! said the mullah.
Listen. thou" But he did not begin
to speak yet. He tried to see past King
into the ave and to peer about into
the shadows.
"Where is she?" he asked. "Her
mar Rewa Gunga went yesterday, with
three men and a letter to carry down
the Khyber. But where is she?"
So he had slept the clock round
King did not answer. He blocked the
way into the cave and looked past the
mullah. The Orakzai Pathan crouched
among the women. and the women
grinned. The mullah stared into
Kings face. with the scrutiny of n
trader appraising loot. Fire leaped up
behind his calculating eyes. And with
out n word passing between them. King
knew that this man as well as Vas
mini was in possession Of the secret
of the Sleeper. Perhaps he knew 1t
first perhaps she snatched the keep
ing of the secret from him. At all
events he knew 1t and recognized
Kings likeness to the Sleeper, for his
eyes betrayed him. He began to stroke
his beard m%onotonousIy with one hand.
The rifle, that he pretended to be hold
ing. really leaned against his back and
with the free hand he was making sig
nails.
King knew well he was making sig
nails. But he knew too that in Vas
minis power, her prisoner. he had no
chance at all of interfering with her
plans. Having grounded on the bot
tom of impotence, so to speak. any tide
that would take him off must be n good