The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-09-30


average native. a tight roll OF
cloth was next unwOund and deX.
terously swathed about the head
into II puggree. Smith, or the
G. !. d., was TO all appearances
scantily clad Indian.
As tie sun sank behind dis
tant mountain. lanky native me-
ure with a bundle crept cautiously
down the mountain side and, IN
the first gloom Of night. stepped
out upon the road. Smith. the
agent Of the Criminal Intelligence
Department. had disappeared from
the world, and an unknown native
padded his way along the winding
road towards Mount Jakko.
Where the long, winding road
rises and branches into the little
loop circling the tiny summit Oh
Mount Jakkn. Smith entered upon
his new role with thoroughness
which lacked no precautlon.
Throwing himself full length upon
The road. lace down. Yards. ne
slowly drew up his knees and then
pushed the front part of hi: BODY
forward. Before him he ShnNeu
his bundle. In this fashion, like
= measuring worm. he continueI
to progress gradually along me
road in the darkness. PrChabiy
no eve could see him. bu' If any
did il would Sc" only . = iSlous
fanatic crawling toward the nut OF
the holy man Of MO"nt Jakiio.
When Smith. in his laborious
crawlin.. reached the red clay
path which l"d to the hut he
turned outwards and crawted 10 a
iyrn trunk OH the outside Of the
roG,j mon The very edge or the
dcclivi:,. Facing the ihosly nut
he sat with his back against the
trunk, watching and listening.
lie was tired and hungry and
rather cold in the night air With
ont his usual clothing. AS the
night wore ON he finally fell into
:, gentle sleep and awoke suddenly
IS Il monkey scampered over his
outstretched legs. The dawn was
breaking in the east and Il mist
hung over the hilltop. Cramped
and cold a. he was, Smith drew
his legs up into the Dhuddic pos
ture Of meditation and sat per-
iectly still.
As the light increased with the
rising sun the animal and bird life
awoke. Slowly the mist lifted. re-
realing the bare top OF Mount
Jakko. the hermit's hut, and the
holy man himself squatting IN his
usual posture before the open
door. 4 native mounted by the
steep footpath and approached the
old hermit. Smiths heart beat
more swiftly as he recognized one
of the two hillmca who had At
tackled him upon n" previous
afternoon. 1t was the junior OF
the two. the one he had kicked III
the stomach. Now. indeed. would
lIs disguise have to atund severe
test.
The hillman. however, favored
Smith with but r passing glance
He salaamcd low before The her
nit and poured = handful Of rice
into the begging bowl. As lie ala
so he spoke some words VINCE
we're too low for Smith 10 near
There was no reply from the holy
man. and the hllman. aftel
salaaming once more. departed b!
the way he had come.
4 party OF white men anG
women cantered around the loop
II was the cool OF the morning
when white people took their eN'
orrise. They were followed by a
slow crawling rickShaw. ana once
again Smiths heart QUickened as
no recognized the passenger. II
was no other than. te giant NIL.
man who had been the lcauer u
the attack upon him.
Slowly the rickShaw approached
Something seemed 10 be wrong
and the big hillnl&l. h: arm in a
sling, got out and stood silently 10
one side while a coolic tilted the
frail vehicle and spun the trouble
some wheel. Tho Coolic gave the
wheel a second vigorous t"Nl ana
all five burst into cIamNr as |.
slipped free :rum IN" axle. rolled
across the road and plunged mo
the valley far beneath. A tourist
was passing in Il rickshaw AT the
time. and the big hillman cursed
roundly and ordered two or tile
coolies to return TO the bazaar
and bring another rickshaw.
Two coolies Immediately started
of in the direction Of Simla while
the other three walked hundred
wards TO some bushes on the outer
side of the road. The tall hillman
seemed to notice the hermit for
the first time. He salaamed awk-
wardly with his uninjured arm and
then retired TO the bushes not far
from his coolies. The broken
rickshaw WAS left standing drunk
cnlv by the side Of the road.
Silence reigned, and Smith
noticed that he and the hermit
were the only two who remained
visible TO anyone approaching
along the road. Some scheme was
on foot. he felt sure. and it did
not seem to be directed toward
him. What was the IDEA of break
ing down the rickshaw" Smith
felt sur" that the wheel had been
sent over the prccipicc on pur-
pose.
As he thought over the series
of events a sound came from far
up the road in the direction of
Simla. IT was 4 sound that
brought real fear in the heart of
Smith. In a fash he realized that
bo ,r,g .ootn6 hpfprn tho 81 npp