Evening star., 1934-08-07
CHAPTER xxxvn.

tai wTeatlerx the heavier ol
n two adversaries viii often
~ trust 10 hts weight tiring olii
lighter opponent. His
greatest danger lay In the Corha get
ting Nelson lock. or even g half
Nelson lock. or him. and 80. with &
1iahtening wrench. breaking his neck
or an arm.
Inch by inch the tyo mems feet
sank into the sand, until their ankle
bones were hidden.
A mighty downward thrust. given
WITH every ounce Of the CooFa's pro-
digious strength, only brought fur
ther fierce driving-in Of Gray's shoul-
der. But the next second q mighty
haruuer-stroks OF the hillmans left
heei against the back Of his prisoner 8
right heel, nearly threw the English
man.
with lightning qulckness Gray
crooked his leg, and jerking his weight
backward. With a wrenehing twist
tried TO throw the Cobra.
Gray realized his peril as the giRan-
tie hiliman started 70 lift him bodily
the aoose----s''he thought Rrimly. And
from n1idair. delivered a smashing
blow from his own heel behind the
Cobra's knee.
The two men crashed heavily 10
the ground. The next second. Gray
was underneath Alan Khan
A rending roar went up from the
crowd
Mother Kali. thou witchi" hissed
Ilmbu as he peered between two of
the guards. Either he wins, or thy
head comes of when I get back !"
Diana was staring, dry-eyed. at the
two men. She was white to the lips.
They were still now, and lying locked
together in the sand few yards from
her.
A sharp pricking in her thigh caused
her to look down. Galbraith, still on
his knees, was tugging at her baggy
neither gsrments----his hand armed
with a fearsofne set OF five, curved,
double edged steel claws. fitted on to
a knuckle-duster- like arrangement
the needle points Of which had
pricked her.
1T isn't finishedi They have
fallen" she managed to say, glancing
at him alphabetically.
whats happening? f. l have
been praying Take me to him !
Nowl God will grant my prayerl
Take me near TO him, sayl" he
begged, moving closer TO her, on his
knees.
with an effort Diana forced herself
TO answer him. bending down TO make
herself heard above the shouting.
Take you near to whom?"
"That beast, Alan Khan!"
''He and Maj. Gray are wrestling" :"
she cried shakily. They have fallen,
I tell you'll No one can go near
them
She helped him to rise. He had
once more hidden his hands in his
armpits and the loose sleeves Of his
fiithy upper garment. as they fell back,
revealed the pitifully shrunken arms
and grimy skin.
But Limbu's sharp eyes had seen
the narrow, claw-like knives that the
blind Galbraith had persuaded the
assistant taller to have made for him.
And because he knew the use to which
the Mahrattas put such weapons
(caIled by them bagh-nakhs, or "ti-
gers claws'') his heart warmed TO
this ruin of sahib. He sensed the
plan.
@I will lead thee TO him. sahib.
when the time be comet" he said
rrimly. 1T will not be long, now. "
"who are you?" quavered Gal
hraith, turning the sightless eyes in
his direction.
II helped thee to the pavilion after
q polo accident in Lahore, sahib, years
ago" responded Limbu rapidly
The tortured face of the blind man
softened.
"You're--you must be his Gurkha
orderly, them :. ! remember you'll"
A ghost of one of Limbu's genial
smiles came And vanished.
The struggle between Gray and the
Cobra had entered its last phase. The
two adversaries were now rolling over
and ever In the sand--reviled. ad-
vised, leered at, and encouraged by the
half-trantie crowd.
bruised. Great patches of raw flesh,
where the skin had been torn of by
the dragging of the Cobra's sand
sneared arms and hands, showed red
between the deep blue Of the bruises.
The two men got to their feet again
after mutual release. Alan Khan's
bulk was beginning to tell against
him. He was gaSping for breath.
Head down. the Englishman dashed
at him and. dodging his grip, bent
tirned his left side inward, locked
his arms. gave one mighty heave and
threw the Cobra over his head.
The shout that went up seemed to
split the sky.
He has wonl Oh. thank Godl"
cried Diana in strained tones, the
tears running down her pale face.
But Gray had not won.
The little Gurkha had seen some
thing that was making him spit on