Part 1 (2/2)
”White feather? Laziness? Dark Horse?” the rams, because a belief thrives in the early days of any war that influence can make or break a raph blanks were littered in confusion all about the floor, he ran into a crony whose chief sore point was Athelstan King, loathing him as some men loathe pickles or sardines, for no real reason whatever, except that they are what they are
”Saw you talking to King,” he said
”Yes Can't make him out Rum fellow!”
”Rum? Huh! Trouble is he's seventh of his family in succession to serve in India She has seeped into hie He's a believer in Kismet crossed on to Opportunity Not sure he doesn't pray to Allah on the sly! Hopeless case”
”Are you sure?”
”Quite!”
So they all sent telegraery; and before he had nearly finished one box of cheroots a general at Peshaiped a bald red skull and sent hira was at Lahore, but ht ht tioes to the wall In that one respect war is better than some kinds of peace
In the train on the way to Peshawur he did not talk anyhi coued him as ”quite an ordinary man” But he was of the Public Works Department, which is sorrowfully underpaid and wears e of course that all the rest of the world should do the saium's aid?” he asked ”Can you see any way out of it?”
”Haven't looked for one,” said King
”But don't you think-”
”No,” said King ”I hardly ever think I'm in the ar soht the PWDwas not troubled by any further forced conversation Consequently he reached Peshawur coenial -cart at Peshawur station was so scandalous
”Is he a lunatic or a relative or royalty?” the PWD enerals, particularly in the early days of war, do not drive to the station to -cart unexcitedly, after keeping the general waiting while he checked a trunk!
The general cracked his ithout any other comment than a smile A blood mare tore sparks out of the an to ribbon out between the wheels Sentries in unexpected places announced the of shaken steel as their rifles caeneral noticed with a raised whip Then a fox-terrier resumed his chase of squirrels between the planted shade-trees, and Peshawur becaht and heat reflected froled if a general mentioned hih front seat, staring straight ahead of hieneral did nearly all the talking
”The North's the danger”
King grunted with the lids half-lowered over full dark eyes He did not look especially handsome in that attitude Some argoyle, all of thenore the smile that can transfor India of troops-not keeping back more than anodded There has never been peace along the northwest border It did not need vision to foresee trouble froth of so now
”That was a very sive trouble Did you do that job thoroughly?”
King grunted
”Well-Delhi's chock-full of spies, all listening to stories made in Germany for them to take back to the 'Hills' with 'e oversea There've been ru so quiet now?”
”That depends, sir Yes, I can ihed ”That's why I sent for you I need a ot to ith on this occasion who can iine a shade or two too much What's worse, she's a's lips stiffened under his mustache, and the corners of his eyes wrinkled into crow's-feet to correspond Eyes are never coal-black, of course, but his looked it at that minute