Part 14 (2/2)

”Welcohed, with the air of a skilled fencer who admires another, better one ”I shall know better another ti first into a train and settling down for the night! It may not be easy to follow you, and I suspect it isn't, but at least it jolly well can't be such a job as leading you! I trust you had a co hands with hie doors that held his prisoners in They were baying now like wolves to be free, and they surged out, like wolves froling to be first to ask hihed ”I, too, am from the plains! What do I know of your families or of your feuds? Am I to be torn to pieces to make a meal?”

At that Ismail interfered, with the aid of an ash pick-handle, chance-found beside the track

”Hill-bastards!” he howled at theel were a flail ”Sons of naotten of God! Sha had to stop him, not that he feared trouble, for they did not see in the least-and that in itself was food for thought; but broken shoulders are no use for carrying loads

Laughing as if the whole thing was the greatest joke i and led him away in the direction of some tents

”She is up the Pass ahead of us,” he announced ”She was in the deuce of a hurry, I can assure you She wanted to wait and ent, and we shall have our bally work cut out to catch her, you can bet! But I have everything ready-tents and beds and stores-everything!”

King looked over his shoulder toalong

”So have I,” he said quietly

”I have horses,” said Rewa Gunga, ”andasked hilance

”On a horse You should have seen the horse!”

”What escort had she?”

”She?”

Rewa Gunga chuckled and then suddenly grew serious

”The 'Hills' are her escort, King sahib She isruffian ould not lie down and let her walk on hihbred mare and she jolly well left me the mare's double on which to follow her Come and look”

Not far fro of horses winnied at a picket rope King saw the two good horses ready for himself, and ten mules beside them that would have done credit to any outfit But at the end of the line, pawing at the trarass, was a black mare that made his eyes open wide Once in a hundred years or so a viceroy's cup, or a Derby is won by an animal that can stand and look and ar boasted; hooking up the bit and throwing off the blanket And as he h-hide saddle a shout went up from the fort and native officers and half the soldiery came out to watch the poetry of ; her rider shared the praise There was soainly, about the Rangar's seat in the saddle that was not the ordinary, graceful native balance and yet was full of grace King ascribed the difference to the fact that the Rangar had seen no military service, and before the inadequacy of that explanation had asserted itself he had already forgotten to criticize in sheer ad and back-reining that some native bloods of India ar rode with sympathy and most consummate skill, and the result was that theto his thoughts, putting a foot where he wished her to put it and showing her wildest turn of speed along a level stretch in instant response to his ingly, as the mare came back at a walk to her picket rope

”There is only one ar ”She has her”

”What'll you take for this one?” King asked him ”Name your price!”

”The enerous There is nobody on earth enerous than she when she cares to be See what you wear on your wrist!”

”That is a loan,” said King, uncovering the bracelet ”I shall give it back to her e meet”