Part 54 (2/2)
The other six blindrubbed oint there he could cure the whole cae toward hiuard rushed up to drive them back
”Find your way down the Khyber and ask for the Wilayti dakitar He will finish the cure”
The six blind , turned away, mainly because Ismail drove them ords and blows And as they went a tall Afridi ca down the camp with a letter for the mullah held out in a cleft stick in front of hirin
”What is her word? Where is the Orakzai Pathan?”
But Is that he scented climax So did his near-fifty and their thirty friends He chose to take the arrival of the blind o it blind” on the strength of what he had hoped ht happen Also he chose in that instant to force the mullah's hand, on the principle that hurried buffaloes will blunder
”To Khinjan!” he shouted to the nearest man ”The mullah will march on Khinjan!”
They ive him room Ismail watched hih the camp that we march on Khinjan! Shout it! Bid them strike the tents!”
Somebody behind took up the shout and it went across the cae toward the tents, but King called to his deserters and they clustered back to hiether, and he would not be able to do it by ordinary arguination And he did
”She is on our side!” That was a sheer guess ”She has kept our ood faith! Listen! Ye saw this man's eyes healed Let that be a token! Be ye the men with new eyes! Give it out! Claiuide you down the Khyber in good ti!”
They jumped at the idea The ”Hills”-the whole East, for that matter-are ever ready to form a new sect or join a new band or a new blood-feud Witness the Nikalseyns, orshi+p a long-since dead Englishman
”We see!” yelled one of thee From that minute they were a new band, with a war-cry of their own
”To Khinjan!” they howled, scattering through the ca his beard and wonder what possessed them
”To Khinjan!” they roared at him ”Lead us to Khinjan!”
”To Khinjan, then!” he thundered, throwing up both ar as if he threw theallop They roared back at hi wind And Is alone Then thewent up with an effort, for he ached yet froht before Up there by the ashes of the fire the mullah showed him a letter he had crumpled in his fist There were only a few lines, written in Arabic, which all ned with a strange scrawl that ly of her perfu all your men, and I will let you and theain in the Cavern of Earth's Drink”
That was all, but the fire in the h He did not doubt that once he should have his extra four thousand in the caves Khinjan would be his; and he said so
”Khinjan isdid not answer hih to trust herself in any bargain with Muhammad Anim Yet he could see no alternative as yet He could only be still and be glad he had set the ca and so had forced the mullah's hand
”The old fatalist would have suspected her answer otherwise!” he told himself, for he knew that he himself suspected it
While he and the an to fall and the wo their rifles, and within the hour enough aood-sized skirmish; but the mullah did not mind, for he had Khinjan Caves in view, and none knew better than he what vast store of cartridges and dyna his opportunity, King slipped down the ramp and into the crohile theleft his own belongings to the fates, or to any thief who should care to steal thehtyfrom the skies
”We see! we see!” they yelled and danced around him