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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 6, 1917)
THE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE, NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA. By Talbot Mrandy Copjrright by the Bobbi-MerrUI Company A Story That Combines the Thrill of Modem Detective Fiction With the Romance of Arabian Nights Tales ADVENTURE AND ROMANCE EXTRAORDINARY In this remarkable tnlc Mr. Mundy Introduces us to tlio mysteries and charm of Indln, and to an Interesting people of the Orient about whom the western world known little or nothing. Iu the company of Onptnln Athelstan King, his hero, we go on u wonderful Journey In Khlnjan caves; nnd with him wo meet YnBinlnl, an exotic benuty of innrvclous fascination. It gives us great plensurc to publish "King of the Kliybcr Rifles" because we believe our rcudors will enjoy the serial more than any wc have printed In a long time. TUB EDITOR, CHAPTER I. The men who govern India more power to them and her! aro few. Those who stand In their way nnd pre tend to help them with n flood of words arc n host. The charge has Fcen the light In print that India well spring of plaguo and sudden death nnd money lenders has sold hersoul to twenty succeeding conquerors In turn. So when the world war broke the world wns destined to be surprised on India's account. The Red seu, full of racing transports crowded with dark skinned gentlemen, whoso one prayer was that tho war might not bo over before they should have struck a blow for Britain, was tho Indian nrmy's an swer to the press. More than one nntlon was deeply shocked by India's answer to "prac tices" that had extended over years. But there wcro men In India who learned to lovo India long ago with that lovo that Casts out fear, who knew exactly what was going to happen und could thcrcforo afford to wait for or ders Instead of running round In rings. Athelstan King, for Instance, noth ing yet but & captain unattached, sat In mcagcrly furnished quarters with his heels on a table. Uo Is not a doctor, yet ho read a book on sur gery; and when ho went over to tho club he carrlod tho book under his arm and continued to read It there. In tho other room whero tho telegraph blanks wcro littered In confusion all about the floor, the other ofllccrs sent tclcgrnlns and forgot King, who sat and smoked and read about surgery; and beforo bo had nearly finished one box of cheroots n general at Poshnwur wiped a bald red skull and sent him en urgent telegram. "Come at once I" It said simply. King was at Lahore, but miles don't matter when tho dogs of war aro loosed. Tho right man goes to tho right place at tho exact right tlmo then, and the fool goes to tho wall. In that ono respect wnr Is better than porno kinds of peace. In tho train on tho way to Pcslmwur ho was not troubled by forced con versation. Consequently ho reached Pcslmwur comfortable, In splto of tho heat. And his genial maimer of salut ing tho full-general who met him with n dogcart at Pcslmwur station was something scandalous. Full-gencruls, particularly in tho early days of war, vAirT "Come at Once," It Said. do not drlvo to tho station to meet captains very often; yet King Qllmbcd into tho dogcart unexcltedly. uftcr keeping the general waiting whllo ho checked a trunk I Tho general cracked his whip with out any other comment, than a smile. A blood mare tora sparks out of tho macadam, and n dusty military road begun to ribbon out between tho wheels. Sentries in unexpected places announced, themselves with a ring of shaken steels as thcJr rifles camo to the "present," which courtesies tho cciieral noticed with a raised whip, On tho dogcart's high front sent, star ing straight ahead of him botwecn stlia, liorso's euro, King listened. Tho general did nearly all tho talking. "Tho "North's tho danger." King grunted with tho lids half-low cred over full, dark eyes. IIo did not look especially hnndsonio in that at tltudc. Some men swear ho looks like a Roman, , nnd others liken lilm to a enrgoyje. all of them choosing to Ig noro tho smllo that can transform his wholo face instantly. "We're denuding India of troons not keeping back more thnn a mere handful to hold the tribes In check." King nodded. There has never been pence along the northwest border. It did not need vision to foresee trouble from thnt quarter. In fact It must hnve been partly on the strength of some of King's reports that tho gen eral was planning now. "Well, the trlbrs'11 know presently how mnny men we're sending ovcrseu. Thero'vo been minors ubout Khlnjan by tho hundred lately. They're cook ing something. Can you Imnglno 'em keeping quiet now?" "Thnt depend, sir. Yes, I can Imagine It." The general laughed. "That's why I sent for you. I need a man with Imagination I There's a womun you've got to work with on this occasion who can Imnglno a shndo or two too much. Whnt's worse, she's ambitious. So I choso you to work with her." King's Hps stiffened under his mus tache, and tho corners of his eyes wrinkled into crow's feet to corre spond. Byes aro never coal-black, of course, but his looked It at that min ute. "You know wo'vo sent men to Khln jan who nro said to havo ontorcd the caves. Not ono of 'cm has over re turned." King frowned. "She claims sho can enter tho caves and como out again nt pleasure. Sho has offered to do It, and I havo ac cepted. Can you guess who sho Is?" "Not Ynsmlnl?" King hazarded, and tho general nodded. Tho helmet-strap mark, printed Indelibly on King's Jaw and cheek by tho Indlnn sun, tight ened and grow whiter' as tho general noted out of tho corner of his eye. "Know hcr?" "Know of her, of course, sir. Every body ' docs. Never met her to my knowledge" "Um-m-m I Whoso fnult was that? Somebody ought to havo seen to that. uo to Delhi now and meet her. I'll send her a wlro to say you're coming. Sho knows Pvo chosen you. Sho tried to Insist on full discretion; but I over ruled her." King's tongiio licked his lips, nnd his eyes wrinkled. Tho general's voice bc- camo tho least shndo moro authorita tive. "When you seo her, get a pass from her that'll tnko you Into Khlnjan caves 1 Ask her for it I For tho sake of appearances I'll gnzctto you sec onded to tho Khybcr rifles. For tho sake of success, got a pass from her 1" "Very well, sir." "You'vo a brother In tho Khybcr rifles, hnven't you? Was It you or your brother who visited Khlnjan onco and sent In n report?" "I did, sir." IIo spoko without pride. Even tho brigade, of British-Indian cavalry that went to Khlnjan on tho strength of his report nnd leveled its defenses with tho ground, had not been able to find tho famous caves. Yet tho caves themselves nro a byword. "There's talk of n Jihad (holy war), There's worso than that I When you went to Khlnjan, what was your chief object?" "To find tho sourco of tho ovcrlast Ing rumors about tho so-called 'Heart of tho Hills,' Blr." "Yes, yes. I remember. I read your report. You didn't And anything, did you? Well. Tho story is now that tho 'Heart of tho Hills' has como to life. So tho spies say." King whistled softly. "There's no guessing what it means," said tho general, "do and work with Yasmlnl. Tho spies keep biluglng In rumors of ten thousand men In Khlnjan caves, and of another largo lashkar not far away from Khln Jan. Thcro must bo no Jihad, King I India Is all but defenseless I This story nbout n 'Heart of tho Hills' com Ing to ltfo may prcsago unity of action ami a holy war such as tho world has not sccu. Go up there and stop It if you can. At least, let mo know tho facts." King grunted. To stop n holy wnr single handed would bo rather llku stopping tho wind possibly easy enough, if ono knew tho wny. Yet he knew no general would throw away a man Ilka himself on a useless venture. IIo began to look happy. Tho general clucked to tho maro nnd ono wheel censed to touch tho gravel us they whirled along u semi 'Irculnr drive. Under tho porch of n pretentious residence, sentries saint ed, the sals swung down nnd In less than sixty seconds King wus follow. Ing tho general through a wldo en trance Into a crowded halL Tho In Rtant the general's fat figure darkened the doorway twenty men of higher rank than King, native and English, rose from llncd-up chnlrs and pressed forward. "Sorry have to keep you nil wait ing busy 1" lie waved them nsldo with a little apologetic gesture. "Como In here, King." King followed him through a door that slummed tight behind him on rub ber Jambs. "Sit down I" The gencrul unlocked n steel druwer and began to nunmugo umong the pa pers In It. In n minute he produced a package, bound In rubber bnnds, with a faded photograph face upward on the top. "Thnt's the woman I now d'you like the look of l"?r?" King took the pnekngo and for n minute stared hard at the likeness of a woman whose fame has traveled up and down Indln, until her witchery hns become a proverb. She was That's the Woman I How Do You Like the Look of Her?" dressed as a dancing womnn, yet very few dancing women could afford to bo dressed as sho was. The general watched his ace with eyes thnt missed nothing. "Remember I said work with her I" King looked up nud nodded. "They say sho's three parts Rus sian," said tho general. "To my knowl edgo sho speaks Russian llko n native, and about twenty other tongues as well, Including English. Sho was tho girl widow of n rascally hill rajah. I'vo heard sho loved her rajah. And I'vo heard sho didn't I Thcro's another story that sho poisoned him. I know Bho got away with his money and that's proof enough of brains 1 Sorao say sho's n sho-devll. I think thnt's an exaggeration, but bear in mind she's dangerous 1" King grinned. A man who trusts Eastern women over readily docs not rlso far In tho secret service. "If you'vo got nous enough to keep on her soft side und uso her not let her uso you you can keep tho 'Hills' quiet nnd tho Khybcr safe! If you can contrive that now In this pinch thcro's no limit for you I Com mander In chief shall bo your job be foro you're sixty I" King pocketed tho photograph nnd papers. "I'm well enough content, sir, as things nro," ho said quietly. Tho general paced onco ncross tho room nnd onco bnck again, with hands behind him. Then ho stopped In front of King. "No mnn in India hns n stlffcr task than you havo nowl A Jihad launched from tho 'Hills' would mean anarchy In tho plains. That would cntnll send ing back from Franco an array thnt can't be spared. Thcro must bo no Jlhiul, King I Thcro must not be ono I Keep thnt In your hcadl" "What arrangements havo been made with her, sir?" "Practically none I Sho's watching tho spies In Delhi, but they'ro likely to brenk for tho 'Hills' any minute, Then they'll bo arrested. When thnt happens, tho fato of India may bo In your hands nnd hers I Get out of my wny now, until tiflln-tlmoj" In a wny thnt some men never learn King proceeded to effneo himself en tlrely among tho crowd In tho hall contriving to say nothing of any ac count to anybody until the great gong boomed nnd tho general led them nil In to his long dining tnblo. Yet he did not look furtlvo or secretive. No body noticed him, nnd he noticed ev erybody. Thcro Is nothing whntcver secretlvo about thnt. The faro wns plain, nnd tho meal a porfunctory affair. The geitcral and his guests wero thero for no other reason thnn to ent foov nnd only tho man who happened to seat himself next to King n major by tho nnmo of Hyde spoko to him at nil. "Why aren't you with your regl incut?" ho asked. "Recuuso tho general asked mo to lunch, sir!" "I suppose you'vo been pestering him for an appolutmentl ' King, with his mouth full of curry, did not answer, but his eyes smiled. After lunch he was closeted with tho general again for twenty minutes. Then one of tho general's carriages took him to the station ; and It did not appear to trouble htm at all that tho other occupnnt of tho carriage was the self-same Major nydo who had sut next him nt lunch. In fact, ho smiled so plensantly thnt Hyde grew exas perated. Neither of them spoke. At the station Ilydo lost his temper open ly, nnd King left him abusing nn un happy nntlve servant. Tho stntlon was crammed to suffo cation by a crowd thnt ronrod and writhed nnd smelt to high heaven. But the gcncrnl himself had telephoned for King's reservation, so ho took his time. Thero were din nnd stink nnd dust be neath a savage sun, shaken Into re verberations by tho scrcnm of nn en gine's safety vnlve. It wns Indln In es sence nnd nwakcl Indln arising out of lethargy ! India ns sho Is more often nowndnys nnd it mndo King, for the tlmo being of the Khybcr rifles. happier than somo other men enn bo In ballrooms. Any ono who watched him and there was at least one man who did must have noticed his strango abil ity, almost like that of water, to reach the point he aimed for, through, and not around, the crowd. He neither shoved nor argued. Or ders and blows would have been equal ly useless, for had It tried tho crowd could not havo obeyed, und It was In no mind to try. Without the least ap parent effort ho arrived and thero Is no other word thnt quite describes It ho arrived. He climbed into his car riage and leaned from tho window. "Why nro you here?" asked nn ncld volco behind him; nnd without troub ling to turn his head, he knew that Major Hydo was to bo his carriage mate again. "Orders," said King. "Is thnt your answer?" asked the major. Balked ambition is nn ugly horse to ride. Ho had tried for a command but had been shelved. "I have sufficient authority," said King, unruffled. Ho spoko ns if he wero thinking of something entirely differ ent His eyes were as if vthcy saw the innjor irom a very long wny ore unu rather approved of him on tho whole. "Show mo your authority, please I" King dived into an Inner pocket and produced a card that hud about ten words written on Its face, above a general's signature. Hydo read it and passed It back. "So you're ono of those, nro you I" ho sold in a tono of voice that would start a fight in some pnrts of tho world and in somo services. But King nodded cheerfully, nnd thnt annoyed the major moro than ever ; ho snorted, closed his mouth with a snap nnd turned to re arrange the sheet and pillow on his berth. CHAPTER II. The train pulled out, amid a din of voices from tho lcft-bchlnd that nearly drowned tho panting of tho overloaded engine. Hyde all but stripped himself and drew on striped pajamas. King was content to Uo in shirt sleeves on tho other berth, with knees raised, so thnt nydo could not overlook the gen crnl's papers. At his cuso ho studied them one by one, memorizing n string of names, with details ns to their own' crs antecedents nnd probnblo present wherenbouts. Thero wero several photographs In tho packet, and ho studied them very carefully Indeed. But much most carefully of all he examined Yasmlnl's portrait, returning to it ngaln nnd again. IIo reached tho conclusion in tho end that when It wns taken sho had been cunningly dis guised. "This wns Intended for purpose of identification at a given tlmo nud place, he told himself. "Wero you muttering nt me?" asked Hyde. "No sir. Nothing of tho sort In tended." Hydo turned an Indlgnnnt back on him, and King studied tho buck us if ho found it interesting. On tho whole ho looked sympathetic, so it was as well that Hydo did not look around. Balked ambition us a rulo loathes sym pathy. After many prlckly-hot, Interminable, Jolting hours tho train drew up at Rnwal-Pindl station. Instantly King was on his feet with his tunic on, and ho wns out on tho blazing hot platform beforo tho train's motion had quite ceased. Ho began to walk up und down, not elbowing but percolating through tho crowd, missing nothing worth noticing In nil tho hot kaleidoscope and seeming to find new amusement at every turn. It was not In tho least astonishing that n well-dressed native should address, him presently, for ho looked genial enough to bo asked to hold u baby. King himself did not seem surprised at nil. Fur from It; ho looked pleased. "Excuse me, sir," said the man In glib bnbu English. "I nm seeking Cap tain King sahib, for whom -my brotht-r Is verco unxlous to bo servant. Can you klndlce tell me, sir, where I could I find Captain King sahib?" "Certainly," King answered him. He looked glnd to be of help. "Arc you traveling on this train?" The question sounded like politeness welling from the Hps of unsusplclon. "Yes, sir. I nm traveling from this place where I have spent a few dnys, to Bombay, where my business Is." "How did you know King sahlb Is on tho train?" King asked him, smil ing so genially that even the police could not have charged htm with more than curiosity. "By telegram, sir. My brother had the misfortune to miss Cuptnin King sahlb nt Pcshnwur nnd therefore sent n telegram to me asking me to do what I can at an lntorvfew." "I see," said King. "I see." And Judging by the sparkle In his eyes as ho looked nway, he could see a lot. But the native could not see his eyes nt that Instant, although he tried to. IIo looked bnck at the train, giving the man a good chunce to study his face in profile. "See that carriage?" he asked, point ing. "The fourth first-class carriage from the end? Well there are only two of us In there; I'm Major Hyde, and the other Is Captain King. I'll tell Captain King to look out for you." "Oh, thank you, sir 1" said the nntlve olllljv "You nro most kind 1 I nm your humble servant, slrl" King nodded good-by to him, his dark eyes In the shndow of the khaki helmet seeming senrcely Interested nny longer. "Couldn't you find another berth?" nydo asked him angrily when ho stepped back Into the compartment. "What were you out thero looking for?" King smiled bnck at him blandly. "I think there are railway thieves on the train," ho announced without nny effort nt relevance. Ho might not have heard the question. Hydo snorted nnd returned to his sent in the sllcnco of unspeakable scorn. But presently he opened a suit case and drew out n repenting pistol which he cocked carefully and stowed beneath his pillow; not at all a con temptible move, because the Indian railway thief Is the most resourceful specialist in the world. But King took no overt precautions of any kind. After more Interminable hours night shut down on them, red-hot, bluck-dark, raesmerlcally subdivided, into seconds by tho thump of carriage wheels nnd lit nt Intervals by showers of sparks from tho gasping engine. Then King, strangely without kicking off his shoes, drew a sheet up over his shoulders. On the opposite berth Hydo covered his head, to keep dust out of his hair, and presently King heard him begin to snore gently. Then, very carefully he adjusted his own position so that his profllo luy outlined In tho dim light from tho gas lamp in tho roof. Ho might almost have been waiting to be shaved. Long after midnight his Vigil wns rewnrded by n slight sound nt tho door. From thnt Instnnt his eyes wore on the wntch, uuder dnrk closed Inshes; but his even brenthlng wns that of tho seventh stage of sleep that knows no dreams. A click of tho door-latch heralded tho appcaranco of a hand. With skill, Of the sort thnt only special training can develop, a mnn In native dress In sinuated himself into tho carriage He Feigned S'4p So Successfully Thct the Native Turned Away at Last. without making another sound of any" kind. King's enrs nro part df tho equipment for h'-s exacting business, but ho could not henr tho door click shut again. For nbout tKo minutes, while the train swayed headlong into Indian dnrkness, tho mnn stood listening nnd watching King's face. IIo stood so nenr that King recognized him for the one who had accosted him oti Rawal pindi platform. Ami he could seo tho outline of the kulfe-hllt thnt the man's fingers clutched underneath his shirt. Ho feigned slejp so successfully that the nutlre turned away at lust. mm "Thought sol" He dared open his eyes a mite wider. "He's pukka truo to type I Rob first and then kill I" As he wntched, the thief drew tho sheet back from Hyde's face,- with trained fingers that could have taken spectacles from tho victim's nose with out his knowledge. Then as fish glide In nnd out nmong tho reeds without touching them, swift nnd soft nnd un seen, his fingers searched Hyde's body. They found nothing. King moved In his sleep, rather noisily, nnd tho movement knocked n book to the floor from the foot of his berth. The noise of that awoko Hyde, nnd King pretended to begin to wuke, ynwnlng nnd rolling on his bnck (thnt being much tho snfest position nn tin nrmed mnn can take nnd much the most nwkwnrd for his enemy). "Thieves I" Hyde yelled nt the top of his lungs, groping wildly for his pistol nnd not finding it. King sat up and rubbed his eyes. The native drew the knife, nnd be lieving himself In command of the situation hesitated for one priceless second. Ho .saw his error and darted for the door too late. With n move ment unbellevnbly swift King was there ahead of him ; and with another movement not so swift, but much more disconcerting, he throw his sheet as the rctlnrius used to throw a nc in nnclent Rome. It wrapped round the native's head and arms, and the two I went together to tho floor In n twisted stranglehold. In another hulf-mlnute the nntlve was groaning, for King had his knife wrist in two hands and was bending it bnckward while ho pressed tho man's stomach with his knees. Tho knife fell to the floor, and the thief made a gallant effort to recover It, but King wns too strong for him. He seized the knife himself, slipped It In his own bosom nnd resumed his hold before the nntlve guessed what he was after. The train screnmed Itself to a standstill nt a wayside station, and a man with a lantern began to chant the station's nnme. The Instant the trnln's motion nltogether censed the heat shut In on them as If the lid of Tophet had been shimmed. The prick ly hent burst out all over Hyde's skin nnd King's too. There wns plenty of excuse for re laxing hold, nnd King made fall use of it. A second Inter he gave a very good pretense of pain in his finger ends as the thief burst free. The native made a dive at his bosom for the knife, but ho frustrated that. Then he mnde n prodigious effort, Just too late, to clutch the man again, nnd he did suc ceed In tenrlng loose a piece of shirt; but the fleeing robber must have won dered, as he bolted into the blncker shadows of tho station building, why such on Iron-fingered, wlde-nwako sahlb should hnve mnde such a truly feeble showing at tho end. "nnng It I couldn't you hold him? Wero you afraid of him, or what?" de manded Hyde, beginning to dress him self. Instead of answering, King leaned out Into the Inmp-llt gloom, nnd In a minute he caught sight of a sergeant of native Infantry passing down tho train. He made a sign that brought the man to him on tho run. "Did you see that runaway?" ho asked. , "na, sahlb. I saw ono running. Shall I follow?" "No. Tills piece of his shirt will Identify him. Take It. Hide It I "When a man with a torn shirt, Into which thnt piece fits, makes for the telegraph ofllce after this train has gone on, seo that ho is allowed to send any tele grams ho wants to I Only, hnve copies of every one of them wired to Captain King, care of the statlonranster,' Delhi. Have you understood?" "Ha, snhlb." "Grab him. and lock him up tight afterward but not until he has sent his telegrams 1" "Atchn, sahib." "Make yourself scarce, then I" Mnjor Hydo was dressed, having per formed that military evolution in some thing less thnn record time. "Who was that you wero talking to?" ho demanded. But King did not seem to understand until the native sergeant had quite vanished Into tho 8hndows. Tho engine shrieked of death and torment; the hent relaxed as the en glno moved loosened let go lifted at Inst, nnd a tralnlpad of hot passen gers sighed thanks. "What nro you looking nt?" Hyde demanded nt last, sitting on King's berth. "Only a knife," snid King. Ho was standing under tho dim gas lamp that helped make the darkness moro un bearable. IIo stowed tho knife nwny In his bosom, and tho major crossed to his own side. In Delhi, King meets Rewa Qunga, Yasmlnl's man, who tells him she has already gone north. In Yasmlnl's ho'uso the captain is nlven his first test of charac (TO BE CONTINUED.)