Adventure Magazine Cover — page 185: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Viliage of the Ghost ing into his twisted face as he realized that the other hesitated to shoot. “Fools!” cried the half-caste. —Oho, Hossein! cal}s——”’ _ And then the watchers saw a strange thing. Rawul Singh stepped from the dark- ness of the castle. About his neck was bound a thug noose that dangled over his shoulders; his face was purple and blood came from his nostrils down over his beard. In his arms Rawul Singh carried the limp body of Hossein. “Sahib,” he groaned, throwing the body down, “the thug would have strangled me. Aye—almost he overcame me, until he exulted and cried in my ear that he who had killed the son would strangle the father.” The Rajput straightened, glaring at Dom Gion. “Sahib, it gave me strength—that word. I ask pardon of thee for not keeping beside thee—it was a trick of our enemies.”’ Malcolm studied the throng of onlook- ers and saw that many were slipping away. Those who were not thugs prepared to de- part as hastily as possible with dignity. The death of Hossein had taken away any desire that they might have had to fight. The followers.of Dom Gion lingered, scowl- ing and muttering. Sos “And I,” said Malcolm quickly, “ask thy pardon, Rawu! Singh. I suspected thee. Thou art a brave man—a very brave man.” Turning on the thugs, he announced, ‘Dom Gion will be shot if the castle is not cleared within a moment.” The thugs were not open fighters. They looked at one another, and went away, hoping for another opportunity to ‘strike at the white man. That opportunity never came, for the next day brought Cunningham and his men. It was not until after Cunningham and his sepoys had reached Bhir and taken the prisoner, Dom Gion, in charge—pending trial before law for the murders he had caused to be committed—that Tala could - be prevailed upon to lead her father and Malcolm to the tank in the jungle where she had been kept captive and where Dom Gion had secreted his riches. This hoard, Malcolm assured Cunning- ham, should be returned to those who ‘Hossein It is the jemadar who 175 proved themselves kin to the victims of the thugs. The lease deeds and other concessions they burned. And Malcolm, after convinc- ing himself that all active thugs had left Bhir, deposed the potatl on grounds that the man had taken thug money. This done, he resigned his office and said good-by to Cunningham, mounting imme- diately and riding away to his duties. For the ride out of the village, Malcolm was ac- companied by Rawul Singh, who leaped from his horse and saluted the Scot standing, looking long and regretfully after the van- ishing form of his superior officer. Not until the dust of Malcolm’s passage had settled down did Rawul Singh return to his hut and Tala. Cunningham had rewarded the Rajput by appointing him pofail. Peace was established in Bhir. And for a while Rawul Singh enjoyed his new pres- tige and the favor of the sahibs. He asked Cunningham frequently about Malcolm, when making his reports, which were always very brief and concerned mainly with the summary punishment of Mussulmans. In time, as the district continued law- abiding and prosperous, Rawul Singh be- came very restless, and his reports ceased entirely. He mounted his horse and rode to Agra to seek the Resident in person. AND in the course of time Captain John Malcolm, then quartered in Meelis one of the hill stations of Kashmir, received a letter from the Resident which said among other things: It is just as well perhaps for the influence of the Government among the natives, my dear captain, that the Rajpoot, Rawul Singh has resigned his office as potail. I asked him for the reason that in- spired his decision and he responded.that Bhir was only fit to be administered by a trader or a woman, now that there was no fighting to be had. Rawul Singh then asked for your address, and, although I informed him that he is clearly beyond the age limit for our non-commissioned native off- cers, he insisted that he would ride to Kashmeer and that you would have a place for him near ou. : I fancy that almost any day you may see him ride in at your quarters with his daughter on the horse behind him and his luggage in his saddle-bags. I had not thought that he would leave the grave of his son—you are aware of the persistency of the natives in clinging to such customs—but, upon my word, he seems to have adopted you as his son. Y’r Ob’t & Resp’tf’l Serv’t, A, CUNNINGHAM. CO MICLOOKS C©