Part 18 (1/2)
To his disgust he heard the Rangar follow iust the blackand nearly pitching him headforeoatlike agility, for she descended into the gorge in running leaps, never setting a wrong foot When he and his horse reached the botto for him
”This way, sahib!”
The next he knew sparks fro up in front of hiun such as he had never yet dreaallop two to his horse's one; but he set his teeth and followed into solid night, trusting ear, eye, guesswork and the God of Secret Service men who loves the reckless
Once in a minute or so he would see a spark, or a shower of them, where the mare took a turn in a hurry Once in every two or three ht for a second of the saht that had started the race He suspected that there were many torches placed at intervals It could not be oneMore than once it occurred to hiht died into the darkness whence it caar's courage or the black mare's speed
His own horse developed a speed and staar did not dare extend the mare to her limit in the dark; at all events, for ten, perhaps fifteen,he alht or sound
But then the one He spurred round the sareat rock a minute later, and was faced by a blank wall of shale that brought his horse up all standing It led steep up for a thousand feet to the sky-line There was not so one, nor a sound of any kind to guide him
He dismounted and stumbled about on foot for about tento find soround There was no result
He knew better than to shout, for that would sound like a cry of distress, and there is no mercy whatever in the ”Hills” for lost wanderers, or forjezails lurking not far away, to say nothing of those responsible for the blue torchlight
After soan to hunt the way back, reift for direction that natives ht well have envied him He found his way back to the foot of the road at a trot, where ninety-nine men out of almost any hundred would have been lost hopelessly; and close to the road he overtook Darya Khan, hugging his rifle and staring about like a scorpion at bay
”Did you expect that blue light, and this galloping away?” he asked
”Nay, sahib; I knew nothing of it! I was told to lead the way to Khinjan”
”Come on, then!”
He set his horse at the boulder-strewn slope and had to dismount to lead him at the end of half a er were hauling at the reins and the horse had grown frantic fro backward He shouted for help, and Is like the devils of the rocks, to lend their strength Is the other thiplash words, so that Darya Khan overca his rifle between so a hand Then it took all four of the anirown used to the dark, King stared about hi in his pockets for a fresh cheroot and matches He struck a match and watched it to be sure his hand did not shake before he spoke, because one of cocker's rules is that ait on others
”Where are the others?” he asked, when he was certain of hi, for he had heaved and draggedtook a dozen pulls at the cheroot and stared about again In the middle of the road stood his second horse, and threethe un the party now only six all told, including Darya Khan, himself and Ismail
”Gone whither?” he asked
”Whither?”
Ismail's voice was eloquent of shocked surprise
”They followed! Was it then thy baggage on the other mules? Were they thy men? They led the mules and went!”