Evening star., 1934-07-22
KING COBRA
i BY MARK CLAIMING =

asked. edging toward the door. a
hand against the wall
The Cobras eyes cleaned.
Thou dost not like to see the sahib
love the woman2 Why should he not
love her? He is wisel He knows he
will never leave this place alivel"
He is free TO love whom he pleases!
1t means nothing to me-" Diana an
swered disdainfully But her voice
shook. for the anchor chain Of her
hopes had snapped.
Thou talkest fool %ordsl It may
mean thy freedomI" retorted the
Cobra. "Harken well to what say"
be went on, gripping her arm. "If
there be no willingness between a
man and woman, there can be no
love. Between them-as thou seest--
is willingness. Between thee and me
there is nonel Therefore I will not
marry thee as said"
"You-you will set me free7" ques-
toned Diana incredulously.
The Cobra leered at her.
Yea, will set thee Eree-if thou
wilt get from this sahib the meaning
OF what is written in the secret book
he has made. If thou tellest him that
thy life depends upon it he win surely
tell 1t to theel"
IF he does-will you let him also
go free2" The beating Of her heart
almost choked her.
lingering his beard, the Cobra
looked at her curiously. Her quick
ened breathing and the question
showed him that she loved the sahib,
whatever she might say.
Thou heardest my question:" he
parried, relying on the delay TO make
her the more eager.
Into Diana's heart once again there
crept the fighting spirit Of her father.
She was going to battle for the life
OF the man she loved. Something
told her that what she had seen had
been staged" by the Cobra.
i, too, asked a question:" she said
hercely. Answer itl"
Releasing her, the Cobra looked at
her With grudging admiration. Here
was woman after his own heart
If he tells thee, will free him
Also he said, answering her.
Then I will ask him what you
wish!"
1T is not an asking I speak of,
but 'getting'" The Cobra knew that
If he did not obtain the secret cipher
before the yelled man arrived, that
dreaded being would certainly either
extort it from Gray or kill the Eng
lshman for Withholding 1t. As with
Khoon the Mongol, the Cobra's OBJ
Jecttve-once he obtained the key to
the Byzantine cipher-was to check
mate the government of India by
misleading it with forged messages
in Gray's code. to kill of his two
rivals, and TO make himself master Of
India.
How can be sure Of getting it,
when I have not asked him?" asked
Diana inpatiently.
Thou shalt speak with him to-
morrow. . And when thou art
with him thou wilt speak in my
tongue-that l may understand every
word thou sayestl Also, thou wilt
be seated with him on that divan on
which thou sawest him with the
woman II thou shouldst fail. thou
shalt see him made to speak,"
1T is good" said Diana unsteadily.
While these things were happen
ing, the Galcha whom Khoon had
thrashed, had made his way TO the
apartments of Shireen. It would be
safer, he reasoned, to ten The Cobra s
favorite of the Mongols plot with
the eunuch, rather than 60 direct 10
her lord and master
"One Of the lord Khoon's men-a
Galcha--asks audience OF you ladyi"
announced the chief of Shireen's
women.
Il give audience to no mani" an
swered her mistress angrily. bid
him go; or he shall be whipped for
coming to the women's quarters at
night"
The woman stood her ground.
your pardon" she stammered.
''The man says the life of the Cobra
is in dangerl"
HE has a still tongueI Let him
go to my lordl"
He fears the Cobra's anger
pleaded the woman fsarfully.
Shireen bit her lip. This slave
should be taught lesson.
Fetch hither Jafir the eunuchl"
she commanded. And bid him bring
with him those who beat the feet OF
slaVeS!"
The woman groveled with fear.
Rather than face that torture. sus-
pended by her feet from a bamboo
pole. she preferred TO risk her life.
"Jafir the eunuch is to slay the
Cobra!" she whispered hoarsely, her
tears choking her.
Shireen realized what the womsn's
words meant, il they were true.
IF thou has lied, thou hill-cat,
there viii be-not a beating of one,
but burying of twol Thou and ths
Galcha shall be tied back to back, and
buried in the same grave alivel ..
Bring In this mani"
CTo Be Continued.l