The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1918-01-18

handful to hold the tribes in check"
| King nodded. There has never been
peace along the northwest border. It
did not need vision to foresee trouble
from that quarter. In fact it must
have been partly on the strength Of
some Of Kings reports that the gen.
eral was planning now.
swell, the tribes'll know presently
| how many men we're sending oversee.
| There'ye been rumors about Khinjan
by the hundred lately. They're cook
ing something. Can you imagine 'em
keeping quiet now?"
"That depends, sir. Yes. I can
imagine it."
The general laughed. "That's why
| sent for you. / need a man with
| Imagination! There's woman you've
| got to work with on this occasion who
can imagine shade or two too much.
What's worse, she's ambitious. So I
chose you to work with her."
Kings lips stiffened under his mus
tache, and the corners of his eyes
wrinkled into crows. feet to corre-
| spond. Eyes are never coal-black, of
course, but his looked it at that min
ute.
"You know we've sent men to kim
jan who are said to have entered the
caves. Not one of 'em has ever re-
turned"
King frowned.
She claims she can enter the caves
and come out again at pleasure. She
has offered to do it, and have ac-
copied. Can you guess who she ISL"
| 'Not Yasmiai?" King hazarded, and
the general nodded. The helmet-strap
mark, printed indeiibly on Kings jaw
and cheek by the Indian sun, tight
ened and grew whiter-as the general
noted out of the corner of his eye.
"Know herr"
"Know Of her, Of course, sir. Every
body does. Never met her to my
| knowledge"
"Um-m-mi Whose fault was that?
Somebody ought to have seen to that.
Go to Delhi now and meet her. I'll
send her wire to say you're coming.
She knows I've chosen you. She tried
to insist on full discretion. but over
ruled her,
Kings tongue licked his lips, and his
i eyes wrinkled. The generals voice be-
came the least shade more authorita-
tive.
"When you see her, get pass from
her that'1l take you into Khinjan
caves! Ask her for it! For the sake
of appearances I'll gazette you sec
onded to the Khyber rifles. For the
sake Of success, get pass from her !"
Very well, sir"
you've brother In the Khyber
rifles, haven't you? Was it you or your
brother who visited Khinjan once and
sent jim a report?"
81 did, sir"
He spoke without pride. Even the
brigade Of British-Indian cavalry that
went to Khinjan on the strength of
his report and levcled its defenses
with the ground, had not been able
to find the famous caves. Yet the
caves themselves are byword.
There's talk of jihad (holy WARP.
There's worse than that! When you
went to Khlnjan, what was your chief
objectw
ITO find the source Of the everlast-
ing rumors about the so-called Heart
of the Hills,' sir"
Eyes, yes. remember. read your
report. You didn't find anything. did
you? Well. The story is now that the
Heart Of the Hills has come to life.
So the spies say"
King whlstled softly.
There's no guessing what 1t
MEANS" said the general. go and
work with Yasmini. The spies keep
Bringing in rumors of ten thousand
men in Khinjan caves, and of another
large lashkar not FAR away from kim
jan. There must pc 40 jihad, King !!
India is all but Aefenseless! This
story about 'Hearh of the Hills COM
ing to life may presaSe unity of action
and q holy war such las the world has
not seen. Go up theke and stop it if
you can. At least, lot me know the
facts"
/ King grunted. To stop holy war
single handed would be rather like
stopping the wind-possibly easy
enough, If one knew the way. Yet he
knew no general would throw away a
man like himself on USELESS venture.
He began to look happy.
The general clucked TO the mare
and one wheel ceased To touch the
gravel as they whirieh along semi
circular drive. Under the porch of q
pretentious residence. sentries salut-
ed, the sails swung down and in less
than sixty seconds King was follow
ing the general through a wide en-
trance into CROW FED hall The in