Part 28 (1/2)

”Aye!” lied Darya Khan, fearful of Isnedly, as one adment

He turned his back on them so as to face the Prophet's bed-sheet and the rear wall, and in that 's arm from behind, and Ismail's voice hissed hot-breathed in his ear

”Ready of tongue! Ready of wit! Who told thee I would lie to save thy skin? Be thy kise, then-but I ah God knows I love thee!”

The s in both hands, with about as much reverence as salesmen show for what they keep in stock The whole lot slid to one side by s on a rod, and a wall lay bare, built of crudely cut but very well laid stone blocks It appeared to reach unbroken across the whole width of the mosque's interior

On the floor lay aof bronze, cast in one piece, handle and all The mullah took it in his band and struck the stone floor sharply once-then twice again-then three ti hollow at that spot

After about ahammer-stroke from beyond the wall Then theached to pick it up and examine it he did not dare

Excitement noas probably the least of his euise of hakim he had to beware of that superficial western carelessness, that perhtened or excited or amused His business was to attract as little attention to himself as possible; and to that end he folded his hands and looked reverent, as if entering soh his horn-rimmed spectacles his eyes looked far-away and dreamy But it would have been ahian to be aped by an inch or two, as happens when an earthquake has shaken buildings without bringing anything down Then an irregular section of wall began to h which eight men abreast could have marched

As it receded be observed that the lowest course stones was laid on a bronze foundation, that keyed in wide bronze grooves There was oil enough in the grooves to have greased a shi+p's ways and there neither squeak nor tremor as the tons of masonry slid back

At the end of perhaps three minutes that section of the wall had become the fourth side of a twenty-foot-wide island that stood fair in the ht and left Judging by the angle of the two divisions they beca very far

Theto enter But the one-eyed guide who had led them to the mosque thrust hi aside and took the lead

”Nay!” he said, ”I am responsible to her”

It was the first time he had spoken and he appeared to resent the waste of words

The tunnel that led to the left was pierced in twenty places in the roof for rifle-fire; a score of ainst an arht-hand way looked undefended Nevertheless, the guide led to the left, and King followed hi the lashless ht to enter! Some who remained without isest! I count theain by this road!”

”Then there is another road?” King wondered, but he held his tongue and followed the guide

It proved to be fifty yards through part natural, part hand-hewn, tunnel to the neck of the fork where the left-and right-hand passages becaain He stopped at the fork and looked back, for none of hisof clattering hoofs, and grunts and shouted oaths-and started to run back, since even a native hakim may protect his own, should he care to, even in the ”Hills”

For the sake of principle he chose the other passage, for cocker says, ”Look! Look! Look!” But the guide seized hiain

”Not that way!” he growled But he offered no explanation

In the ”Hills” it is not good to ask ”why” of strangers It is good to be glad one was not knifed, and to be deferent until ain, but this tie dohich they had co gun and waited

The charger proved to be ed with the jezailchi in the Khyber The terrified brute was refusing to enter the passage, and all the , or else tugging at the reins