AMANULLAH

doers. The Council, in fact, formed schemes for the pro-
tection of the Amir against the next pretender to the
throne, and otherwise considered that the best policy
was to leave the Afghans to work out their own salvation,
and to arrange their own justice. It was a wise move.

Bacha Sachao felt little apprehension of an attack
coming from Amanullah. It was true that he could still
command a large district near Kandahar. He still held
prestige among the more educated and wealthy members
of the community in that part of the country. But
Bacha Sachao judged rightly that they would not follow
him into war, and he on his side did not intend to
make any further inroads on the security of the former
King.

As a fact, Amanullah, pride recovering a little from
the blow, had tried desperately to enlist the support of
the loyal people of Kandahar, who liked him and
honoured his right to reign. He was, of course, up
against the mullahs even here, but by one spectacular
deed, really typical of him, he was able to overthrow
the prejudice of the people even in face of the mullahs'
disapproval.

" Kafir ! " the mullahs had called him, and the people
had believed their argument that a man who could so
fundamentally deny his religion by acts of transparent
ungodliness, must indeed be ill-favoured of Allah.

u Kafir! He is an infidel ! "cried the mullahs. "Look
how he bid you forget the teachings of your religious
masters ! Consider how he gave good Afghan gold to the
foreigners ! Remember how his u^odly queen unveiled
her face and broke the rules of purdah before a foreign
people ! "

The people shouted their dismay at such behaviour.

Then came Amanullah, with a trump card up his
sleeve* He had been forewarned.

242