Part 5 (1/2)
”Don't let hi all the urgent business, he turned leisurely to face his shadow, and the nativefrankness of an old friend, co forith outstretched hand They did not shake hands, for King knew better than to fall into the first trap offered hiers that is known to not ed the situation altogether
”Walk with , and the ar,-which is to say a Rajput who, or whose ancestors had turned Muha man, but he looked fit and wiry; his head scarcely cah his turban distracted attention froe
The whitest of well-kept teeth, gleaularly under a little black waxed mustache betrayed no trace of betel-nut or other nastiness, and neither his fine features nor his eyes suggested vice of the sort that often underhts, and at the next opportunity to see theed his opinion about their color a dozen tireen
The man ell-to-do, for his turban was of costly silk, and he was clad in expensive jodpur riding breeches and spurred black riding boots, all perfectly iested the clean lines of cat-like agility and strength
The upper part of his costuar dandy, of the type that can be seen playing polo alrace due to practise and heredity-but that does not e its estates too well, as a rule, nor pay its debts in a hurry
”My na up sidewise at King a shade too guilelessly Between Cape Couile is normal, and its absence ”
”I have a e for you”
”Froar, and without exactly knohy, or being pleased with hi toward the station exit King had a trunk check in his hand, but returned it to pocket, not proposing just yet to let this Rangar over-hear instructions regarding the trunk's destination; he was too good-looking and too overbri with personal charame Besides, there was that captured knife, that hinted at lies and treachery Secret signs as well as loot have been stolen before now
”I'd like to walk through the streets and see the crowd”
He s Rajput of good birth would rather fight a tiger with cold steel than walk asahib? Are we anie-and a coachht be overheard in the street Are you and I children, tossing stones into a pool to watch the rings widen!”
”Lead on, then,” answered King
Outside the station was a luxuriously s and rubber tires, with horses that would have done credit to a viceroy The Rangar et in first, and the moment they were both seated the Rajput coacha opened a jeweled cigarette case
”Will you have one?” he asked with the air of royalty entertaining a blood-equal
King accepted a cigarette for politeness' sake and took occasion to admire theas woven steel, but was not much more than half the thickness of his own
The Rajputs as a race are proud of their wrists and hands Their swords are made with a hilt so small that none save a Rajput of the blood could possibly use one; yet there is no race in all warring India, nor any in the world, that bears a finer record for hard fighting and sheer derring-do One of the questions that occurred to King that uessed at twenty-two or so had not turned his attention to the arhts!