Page:Alien Souls by Achmed Abdullah (1922).djvu/66

out of the wilderness; this savage, free call of his own people, his own blood—cousin and cousin again through frequent intermarriage.

Smiling, he looked at the face of his cousin—for cousin he must be—which was like a bearded smear of gold-flecked red in the dim light of the rising sun. He stated whence he came and why and whereto, winding up by saying, "I am Yar Khan, the son of Ali Khan, grandson of Abderrahman Khan—the Afghan—the Usbek-Khel," and, unknown to himself, a note of savage pride had crept into the telling of name and pedigree.

The other eyed him suspiciously, undecided what to do. He had heard of Ali Khan, the man who had left the hills and who had gone South, in search of gold. And this—he clutched his rifle with steady hands—this smooth-faced, leaky-tongued stranger claimed to be his son. But perhaps this night-prowler was a spy sent by the Governor of Kabul to look into the matter of certain bullocks that had strayed away from the valley. Still, All Khan had had a son—and—

Suddenly he gave a shrill, kitelike whistle, and, a moment later, a second sentinel dropped from a rock crest. Came a whispered colloquy between the two villagers, another rigorous cross-examination as to Yar Khan's pedigree and antecedents, and finally the new-comer declared himself satisfied.

He walked up to Yar Khan, his right hand raised high In sign of peace.

"I am Jehan Hydar," he said, "the son of Shujah Ahmet, and I give thee peace—" and with a slight laugh he added, "O Egyptian!"

A great rage rose in Yar Khan's throat. Often,