Evening star., 1934-07-15
KING COB RIA
By MARK CLAIMING


her throat Give 70 me the Ing1is
girl as a companion! She pleases
me-"
The Cobra stirred on the silken
cushions. and crushed her to him.
Thou shalt have her! It is my
intention to marry the Inglis girl!
The Bribe.
As soon as he had handed over
Colin Gray to the keeper Of the
beasts. Khoon sent for Jaffir. He knew
that the Cobra had thrice threatened
the eunuchs life. and he intended
to offer him the post Of major domo
in his harem-on certain condi-
tions
Khoon paced his shadowy apart
ment with short, quick steps. He
was about to challenge the dread
authority of the veiled man. Khoon
knew that dreaded beings uncanny
power of anticipating any attempt to
subvert his influence-never did it
fail to bring death: it had brought
1t to plotters who had thought them
selves safe in the slums of far-away
Calcutta or Bombay; it had brought
II even to women.
For a moment he paused in his
restless pacing. to look musingly out
Of a window overlooking the gardens
Of the palace. He was thiking of
the Cobra-the Goliath whom this
child, Shireen, could twist round her
little finger and whose Judgment,
when one of his fits of ungovernable
Nry,z ~. 8
straw in the whirlwind of his pas
sions. Such one could be no cold,
calculating thinker e.. Obviously 1t
was the mind of the veiled man
that controlled him. Yet who was
this mysterious veiled man?
Khoon only knew that he invari-
ably rode by night-clad, it was
rumored, in black boorka-a shape
less, domino-hke garment from which
the eyes of the shrouded wearer look
out through a narrow insertion of
muslin. When he arrived he would
shut himself up in the subterranean
part of the palace, where-on the rare
occasions on which Khoon and the
Cobra had been hidden to his pres
ence-the dwarf had observed that
his sole attendants were the keeper
of the beasts and his Shockingly de-
formed assistant-both of them dumb.
A soft knocking reused him from
his reverie.
Safety and peace to you, oh con-
queror of the world" whispered Jaf-
fir as he entered.
And to theel" answered the Mon
gol-once more his impaSSive self
Thy news?"
The eunuch shuffled his big feet
uneasily; but the dwarf's will was too
strong for him.
The Cobra talks much with the
lady Shireen-" he began, and STOP
ped. He could have sworn that the
hangingS in a far corner stirred
"Of what speak they?" queried
Khoon smoothly. 1T seems thy
tongue needs oiling!"
He clinked bag of gold pieces on
the table before him.
He has brought with him a red
headed Inglis girl-prisoner, and is
enamoured of her. The lady
Shireen-"' continued the eunuch.
do the women like each other?"
asked the dwarf. his shrewd mind
seeking way of approach to the
subject he had determined Jaf1r
should open up.
For the present the Inglis girl and
the lady Shireen are as two roses on
one stem The Cobra but awaits the
yelled man-who has sent word that
his shadow will darken our doors be-
fore the moon changes. Then you,
mighty one. he says, will bring an
army as numerous as the stones on
the mountain Sides!"
Khoon thought for a moment
Then: 1T takes much gold to bring
and pay such an ARMY Also
there must be a paymaster,"
Jaffir glanced affectionately at the
bag of gold on the table, as If count
ing its coveted contents.
'Harken!" continued Khoon brutal,
ly. THE veiled mans arm is long
and the Cobra is a mighty fighter
though his people are not as numer-
Gus as mine!" he snarled. But I tell
you the arm of the British govern
ment is mightier than us all The
Sirkar has engines and men that fly
in the air, and far-reaching guns. 1t
will quench the Cobra and his armies,
as rain quenches dung fire! Then,
the treasure thou knowest of will be
swallowed by it. even as a hen swal-
lows speck of gravel"
Then Khoon struck home.
There is one who must diel"
The f1abby face of the eunuch
paled.
"Who-who shall do the killing?"
THE secret powder thou toldest me
of" Khoon said implacably.
Jaffir Squirmed, as an impaled
beetle squirms on pin. His road
had been made unmiStakably clear,
now. He was to poison the Cobra
and 'Shiv.
(To be continued.)