Evening star., 1934-07-31
CHAPTER xxx.

are not 10 be trusted Ny
self, I take leave 10 doubt Il
II for I know Their devotion .
hts highreas.+ said MoiLam
med Shah gravely.
Il entirely agree With you sirda
aahibl" replied Mercer musAnsly
"Apd the old Mir is rightly believes
OF bis people
MAY Allah send that your homo
II right" replied Mohamned 5hal
slowly. But even though his high
ness men be loyal--to track tn
Cobra Is going 10 be a very difAcul
task--even for those born IN thesl
hillsl Let me go with Col Hough
ton. major sahibl / have an inter
est Of my own I wish 70 follow up.
Il have spokenl" said Mercer. hi
lean face tightening. When hav'
heard Whit the Mir sahib has saiC
20 you, we viii talk OF your goint
with Col Houghton. You cannot
easily be spared from Lebak. ]
would rather you stayed here"
Mohammed Shah rose, his face
full Of panied anxiety.
'''The one man who could have
guided the colonel sahib's force has
1t seems. proved a traitor" he said
Rrimly. when / find that accursec
dwarf--as most surely shalI---I
have a certain idea concerning what
shall be done 20 himl"
"A telegram from Simla. major sa- :
hibi" said an orderly's voice from
the doorway.
Eagerly Mercer tore Il open.
II was from the director general
Of intelligence and in code.
unable understand" The deciph-
ered) messages received from Gray
in his code stop A. @. directs you
hand over command TO Capt. Las
celleS and come Simla Immediately
ends"
Not until that evening was Khoon
the MongoI able to obtain an audi
ence OF the Cobra. He found the
Cobra turbanless. seated on the edge
of his great couch. 1t was not his
masters habit to control his RACES.
But this time the orders of the veiled
man demanded IT, and, having read
the slip containing them, he had torn
It into pieces.
As usual, its contents had been
brief:
II have thy frog. I will throw
him to the snake In an hour Betray
nothing"
1t was not regret for the rough
justice that was about to be meted out
TO Jaffir and Khoon that had lashed
the Cobra TO rage. 1t was an un-
Rovernable fury born Of the thought
that he would not have the Joy Of
torturing the traitors before they fell
into the veiled mans clutches.
What wilt thou. Mongol?" the
Cobra asked, his voice harsh.
II am not come TO ask anything
Of thee, o Khanl" replied Khoon,
foreseeing trouble, and unobtrusively
hitching his knife into a handler
position.
Thou choosest thy words badly,
scurvy Mongoll" said the Cobra, glar-
ing at him as If he would leap up
and strangle him with his bare hands.
Khoon stiffened. There are those
who are about to free the two sahibs
whom thou holdest as prisoners j.
but since thou hast no interest In
the news / bring, I will take leave
of theel" And he made as il to go.
The Cobra sprang to his feet.
"Thou wilt take nothingp he thun-
dered, reaching for the naked
scimitar lying by his side.
Khoon stepped back two PAGES,
lingering the handle of his long
knife.
II seem not to be welcome, Khan
sahibl" he said. trying hard to con-
ceal his fear.
Thou art as welcome as Satanl
Thou shalt tell thy news 10 him-in
hell I have a fancy to see thy head
roll in this room :"
Nay, Khan sahibI" protested the
dwarf. II came but to render thee
q service, one for which thou wilt
surely thank me when thou hast
heard It'll"
Cor Kissed the Cobra. "or your
dead body shall fall before me. I
swear it by the holy Koranl"
Something told Khoon not to
move, or he would be lost.
Thy prisoners are to escape at
sundown" he blurted.
why sayest thou SOP" snarled the
Cobra. Answer"
The dwarf's mind worked swiftly.
Thy woman, Shireen, can answer
r1any questionsl" he retorted de-
family. loosening his knife in its
sheath. He would die fighting.
Thou slit-eyed har" roared the
Cobra. Were it not that there Is
One who has thee in mind for a
reckoning which thou shall not es-
cape, my beast should lick thy
Khoon had retreated to the door.
His mind was made up. This insane
tyrant was no longer to be endured.
The government of India would ac-
knowledge his status as leader of the
Mongols. It would make short shrift
OF the Cobra, once the Yelled Man
had been handed over.
The handing over he would now
arrange.
II gol" he snarled, his beady eyes
glowing at the Cobra. But the day
is near at hand when thou wilt
pray to Allah for another such
chance as I came to offer thee
The Cobra's great hand frightened
on the chain of the tigreSS, A last
spark Of reason had lit I'D a mind
blinded by fury If Shiy killed the