Evening star., 1934-08-02
CHATTER xxxu.

HAf8EU#LU III At48A @4asEs k4EN
there are only two copies Of u IL
existsnce--Fals and the one I've got.
"eomebody's evidently got hold
Of his copy" commented Mercer
staring cut the window.
Were getting one Of 'em ever
day" went on The Head Of the Secret
Service. STARTED on Tuesday Last
the day after Miss Lindsay was kid
mapped"
where DO they originator" ques.
toned Mercer.
we don't know. IT'S evidently q
private station, and powerful ons
aA that"
Mercer's lean face grew scrnber ~
he studied the short sentences. con-
sisting mainly Of compass bearings
with here and there mention Of
Diana
Can Gray be sending them him
self. d'you think. sir7"
by wireless7 How could i1e7 No.
They're sent By some third person.
They lack dray's code signature. Even
if--as you've snRgested--Gray's copy
OF the cipher has been stolen, there's
q certain check, which only he and
I know. And without II ! don't see
how this third party could use II.
The revolving chair swirlet round
towards the door.
Silently an ofncer laid telegram
before his chief, and went out.
The keen eyes behind the pfnce nez
scanned the fiiusy piece Of paper
rapidly.
by ood-here's another Of 'emi
Help yourself TO another cigarette
while ! decode It."
Rising, he went over to g safe,
took out small red book and crossed
TO the window.
'IAsten TO this, Mercerl North
northwest by hanging thorn tree.
Danger. Danger. There Is time"
Distress was written large on Mer.
GERS face as he leaned forward In his
chair. He and Zero" Gray had
served on q boundry commission In
Persian three years before. Gray
was his friend
"Today's Saturday, isn't. It, sir7 -.
Well, Gen. Houghton with 500 of the
Mrs ievies and the Gurkhas and the
mountain guns, should be well on his
way by now. They started on Thurs
day"
"Iu have this message repeated to
Col Houghton. He's got q radio sec
tion with him." He rang . bell.
AFTER we've had o talk about things
you'll start Immediately for IAbak,
Mercer
Send this by wireless 70 Col.
Hcughten," he ordered his chief OF
stan, and then turned to Mercer.
"I want your advice on one or two
points in connection with affairs in
Yanistan. Gen. Phillips has told you
that the LIST, I'd and 9Th Divisions have
been ordered to stand by for nobilixa-
ton. Personally, I think this Jihad
win fizxle out--that ia, II the Mir
takes q strong line. ! want you TO
take him into your confidence, Mercer.
Mohammed Shah, your intelligence
fellow, has been able to help our
policy q good deal by fostering friendly
relations between the Mir and the
Residency. Put him on the trail
Of the sender Of these messages when
you get back. Finding him use
fuI?d
The saturnine face cleared.
Rather, xirl He's been working
Ike 10 saen since Sir Johns death.
He idolized the resident, and feels
that he's to blame for sending that
guide with Gray. But it was my
fault that the man was chosen. gen
erall I'd heard that he knew the
hills for o hundred miles round Lsabak
like the veins on the back Of his
hand as the hillmen put it, so sug-
gested him for the Job. /. Wish 70
God / hadn't"
The head OF the secret service
tapped pursed lips with his pince-nez.
'T understand. Tell Mohammed
Shah not to worry on that point.
Now, about these disaffection rumors
in Yanistan and this Russian, Petri-
noif. What's your opinion i. ?"
And during the two hours discussion
which followed death in the Place Of
Fights drew nearer TO Diana Lindsay
and Colin Gray by i2o minutes.
Shireen and The Cobra were riding
together TO the place Of Jafrr's execu-
tion.
Somewhere q drum was beating
furiously, and from out the ruud
novels lining the narrow streets a
joStling, jesting crowd Of men, women
and children, called 10 holiday by that
rolling, thunderous drumming, was
making for the market place. Yet, in
spite Of the hurrying to see q man
done to death with cruelty that no
pen can adequately describe. not one
Of them failed TO notice the bearded
giant on the black stallion and the
slim figure In mans clothes riding be-
side him. And those who saw him
mostly fen silent.
Els IL the two sahib-log who are to
die?" Shrilled small boy to his
father as, leaping and hopping. he
tried to keep pace with the tall hill
man covered in bandoliers, who could
not stride along quickly enough.
Nay, Wolfngl IT'S tomorrow that
thou shalt see the sahib and his
woman die in the Place of Fights.
1Salaazn Aliekoom, brotherD Today
II is but an accursed eunuch.
Hlrry--or leave theel ="
For Shireen the crowd did not exist.
For the &irst time in her life-on her
way 10 witness what was, after all,
but one more Of a score of such
sishts-her mind was filled with other
thoughts. This coming of death cast
an intolerably lurid light upon the
danger Of Diana and Colin Gray. Do
what she could, the tears brimmed up,
every minute nearer the brink Of her
long laSaes.
by the beard OF the prophet"
growled Alan Khan, regarding her
tntently, "has aught hurt thee7"
Shireen met the terrible eye.
''Yea. Something has hurt me-"
'what is this thing?"
"An arrow Is IN my hearti" she
answered.
Have u" began the giant.