hurried to obey with alacrity born of new respect, Darya Khan attending
to the trimming of the mule's load in person instead of snarling
at another man. It was a very different little escort from the
one that had come thus far. Like King himself, it had changed its
very nature in fifteen minutes!

They brought the horse, and King laughed at them, calling the idiots--
men without eyes.

"The saddle?" Ismail suggested. "It is a government arrficer's saddle."

"Stolen!" said King, and they nodded. "Stolen along with the horse!"

"Then the bridle?"

"Stolen too, ye men without eyes! Ye insects! A Stolen horse and
saddle and bridle, are they not a passport of gentility this side
of the border?"

"Aye!"

"I am Kurram Khan, the dakitar, but who in the 'Hills' would
believe it? Look now--look ye and tell me what is wrong?"

He pointed to the horse, and they stood in a row and stared.

"Shorten those stirrups, then, six holes at the least! Men will
laugh at me if I ride like a British arrficer!"

"Aye!" said Ismail, hurrying to obey.