Adventure Magazine Cover — page 127: what you’re looking at

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

_ ; _ —_ - a . * — ~ # a S " - 7-5 ee ee, Bo oem sa Pied OR ih oe oa Do OE nn a AG ee ag SO ae RS = _ — ie S % - bas Rose’ Face “Nay,” he cried, “this is not my affair. I have no authority to give a promise for Jahangir. Settle the matter between your- selves.” I pricked up ears at that, for it sounded as if the Rajput were not over fond of the Uzbek. Jani Beg had hinted that the two were as brothers. The Uzbek frowned slightly; then his brow cleared. He smiled with thick lips. “T will give up Balkh as ransom for my son.”’ When he said that, I saw the Rajput’s brows twitch in involuntary surprize. The thought came to me that Jani Beg was of- fering more than he intended to pay. Shir- zad Mir was not one to be caught by such a trap. “Nay,” he said pleasantly. “Does a falcon give up its perch to strut on the ground where are many wolves? Keep Balkh—if you can.” By now Raja Man Singh was waxing restless. His handsome face was petulant. “Shiva—and Shiva!” he cried. ‘Name the rebel a price, Jani Beg. I am thirsty. Give him a camel-load of gold!” He lifted some grains of brown powder from a jeweled box that hung at his throat and placed them on his tongue. Jani Beg thought swiftly. He had no wish to ex- asperate the Rajput. “Two lacs of rupees and twenty horses of Arabia—’” he began, when Shirzad Mir broke in. “We have no need of such.” He turned to the Rajput. “Give me twelve donkeys heavily loaded with powder and two others bearing camel swivels, also twenty-four good matchlocks and as many braces of Turkish pistols, and you shall have Said Afzel.” The Rajput seemed to be about to re- fuse. Powder and. cannon—even such small pieces of brass—were beyond price in Badakshan, and I judge that the swivels belonged to Raja Man Singh himself. Sir Weyand had said -that there were many in the Mogul’s army, although the Uzbeks had them not. But Jani Beg cast him a slgiee “Tt is well,” the Uzbek said swiftly. “Two days we must have to make ready the things. We will then bring them to this place when the sun is at the same hour.”” “The beasts of burden must be driven 8 > m, : em Parties tee oy IS ats 7 Pain ont a — 2 =: =" i Pe > gm, « a et » ty 1 i, cat = = in > \ L rate < oe: 3 os “= by a half-dozen unarmed men on foot,’ sd bargained Shirzad Mir. “Aye. And Said -Afzel must be un- harmed.” “Not a scratch will be on his skin. | He shall be whole, although probably drunk, as is his custom.” So it was agreed. Jani Beg’s party, in- cluding the beasts with the ransom, would ride to this spot in the plain. We would come forth to meet them. Then, while we still held Said Afzel and any who came to attend him, the men who drove the beasts would retire to the Uzbek lines. Then we would join Jani Beg’s party and deliver the prisoner and they would ride away, leaving us the animals with their valuable burden. “T will come alone with Raja Man Singh,” added Jani Beg. bring only Sir Weyand.” Shirzad Mir was surprized and hesitated. I was angered that I should not accompany my lord, as was my hereditary right, but Jani Beg said smoothly that both he and the Rajput desired to look upon the ferang, - and Shirzad Mir assented, saying only that in case Said Afzel was drunk I should be allowed to escort his litter down to the meeting-place and should remain ten spear- lengths distant. He asked this because it was my right by custom. “Likewise—” and he looked at the Raj- put, not at Jani Beg— ‘“‘this. thing shall be done in peace and the curse of God be on the man who sets hand to sword. I pledge this for myself and those with me.” Then I noted that Jani Beg spoke swiftly before the Rajput. “Aye, we trust you, Shirzad Mir.” Whereupon both wheeled their horses and made off. Not however, before I saw a gleam of satisfaction on the Uzbek’s hawk-like face. For some secret reason he was well pleased with the bargain. The thought came to me’that he was using the Rajput’s honor as a shield and that Shir- zad Mir had got too readily what he asked. Jani Beg glanced back shrewdly over his shoulder as: he rode, but the Rajput, who was a fearless man, looked neither to right nor left. In spite of my foreboding, my heart swelled at the thought of possessing the powder and the brass cannon. “Eh, Abdul Dost,” cried my lord, “we have strengthened mighty Khanjut at the price of an opium-guzzling animal.” And think as I would, the bargain seauind / ) - “And you will