The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1939-08-17
east n! IL. AND. w u. E. $ !!
BY TALBOT MUNDY
0 TALBOT MuNDy-WNu SERVICE

what are you doing up so ear
ly?"
''The sight of you on horseback is
better than Sleep" he answered. II
had dreams about YOU"
BAD ones?"
81 can't remember. You know
how dreams escape you when you
wake up"
Come along for a gaIlop."
Cant. Sorry" Looking at Lynn's
eyes, thinking about Rundhia, Nor
wood spoke unguardedly: My man
is signalling-some people waiting
for me near the waterfall. l must
go. / will call as soon as car"
He looked straight at Rundhia.
1t was then that Lynn noticed that
Rundhia and Norwood hadn't spo-
ken.
Should / introduce your" she
suggested, laughing.
Norwood saluted her, wheeled his
horse, and rode away, not looking
backward. He heard Rundhia laugh
ing.
O'Leary met him by the river, full
of self-importance:
"You should send me to Geneva!
I'm diplomat. They're waiting.
If you're nice, and no ones looking
they may let you see the mine. I
convinced EN- that all you're here
for is to blow the government nose.
1t needs blowing, l told 'em, on ac-
count of some sneak squealing on
'em that their mine isn't safe for
laborers, and you're here to muzzle
the talk"
81 would like to muzzle you,"
said Norwood.
Same as it says in the Bible
about muzzling the OK that grinds
your corn" O'Leary answered.
Norwood studied him moment.
There was only one way to get the
value out of O'Leary No use max
ing him sulky. Keep him busy.
go to the bazaar" he ordered.
Here's some money. Pick up all
the palace gossip that's going the
rounds"
81 get you'll Smell a rat-just smell
him and I'll catch him. This isn't
much money
Its all you're going to get"
lone O. these days." said O'Lea-
ry, Pm going to hire a secretary
and take chance with the Official
Secrets Act and dictate my mem
oirs. Page one, I'll tell 'em the
Intelligence is run by cheap 'uns.
They'd make Scotchman feel like
multiplying loaves and fishes, free
for nothing!"
Norwood rode alone along the riv-
er bank until the path grew narrow
near the waterfall and he could no
longer see the huge bulk of the tenn
pie, nor even the city wall that fol-
lowed the curve of the river beyond
the dam. He dismounted and hitched
his horse to a shrub. The water
tunbled innocently, lazily over the
dam; there was hardly hit behind
that beautiful curved translucent
screen there might be the mouth Of
tunnel. The river water was
vaguely blue.
There were four men seated near
the ledge on which Norwood had
nearly lost his life the night before.
They stood up, greeting him respect
fully. They were Brahmins but not
priests; they looked like RESPONSE
BILE men of affairs who might, per-
haps, be trusted with the financial
details of some Of the temple busi-
ness. He plunged straight to his SUBJ
ject:
Zone of our Air Force pilots has
reported having glimpsed an open
opt surrounded by those outlying
buildings near the temple area. It's
an open secret that the priests have
been working a diamond mine for
centuries. We have heard the mine
is dangerous. I want secret look
at it. Perhaps l can advise you
how to make it safe One other
thing: stop dumping clay in the riv-
er. Perhaps / can advise what to
do about that. As for the dispute
about ownership, my party is run
ming survey line to establish facts.
I have seen nothing yet to suggest
that the priests are not the right
full owners. If you've any docu-
ments, I'd be glad to see them. My
report isn't the last word, but it's
likely to carry weight"
If Norwood hadn't been thinking
about Lynn and Rundhia, he might
have noticed that the Brahmins
looked a lot too pleased. One of
them, pushing past him, slipped a
tiny black paper envelope into Nor
woods left-hand tunic pocket. He
apologized for having brushed
against him. Norwood had hardly
noticed that he did.
The four held a whispered consul
tation. Then their spokesman said,
IN excellent English, but with a
trace too much silk in his voice:
I'VE appreciate your honor's cour-
tesy. But we are Intermediates, on
whom it IS incumbent to convey the
message to the proper quarter. It
shall doubtless have immediate con-
sheraton" He paused, then added,
as If choosing an innocuous polite
phrase: Eve know well that your
honor's report will have great
weight. We hope that your honor's
judgment may not be influenced by
worthless arguments"
Back IN camp, Norwood sat under
the tent awning to have his boots
polished by his servant, while he
gave orders for the day.
Sergeant Stoddart," he said sud-
denly. There's a middle-aged lady
in the Maharajah's guesthouse who
had a rather bad spill yesterday.