Adventure Magazine Cover — page 40: what you’re looking at

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

34 “T see you are a man after my own heart,” answered Jeremy, “a thorough fellow who stops at nothing! Good! Allah must have brought us two together for an evil purpose, being doubtless weary of the League of Nations! Unbosom! I am like a well, into which men drop things and never see them any more.” | “You are a fine rascal, I can see that clearly! So you think that Allah is cooking up evil, do you? Tee-hee! ‘That is an original idea, and there may be something in it. Let us hope there is something in it for us two, at all events. Now, as to that fellow Ramsden zu ‘Avoid him unless he is drunk,’’ advised Jeremy. “The weight of his fist would drive a man like you like a nail into a tree.” “Who fears such an ox?” the Syrian re- torted. ‘‘A fly can sting him; a little knife can bleed him; a red rag can enrage him; and the crows who devour that sort of meat won’t worry as to whether he was killed according to ritual! He has money for Feisul, has he? Well, never mind. He has a letter as well, and that is what I want. Will you get it for me?” “Do you need it badly?” ; “By Allah, I must have it!” “By Allah, then I am in good luck, for that makes me indispensable, doesn’t it? And an indispensable man can demand what he pleases!” “Not at all,”’ Yussuf Dakmar answered frowning. “I have taken a fancy to you, or I would see you to the devil. When we reach Haifa, ten or even twenty men will present themselves to do this business for me. Or, if I choose, I can use that fellow Omar who is traveling with Ramsden; he would like to be my accomplice, but I don’t trust him very much.” “In that you are perfectly right,” an- swered Jeremy. ‘‘He is not at all the sort of man for you to trust. It wouldn’t sur- prize me to learn that he has warned Ramsden against you already! Better be- ware of him!” According to Jeremy’s account of the conversation afterward, it. was not until that moment that he saw clearly how to prevent Yussuf Dakmar from calling in thugs to attack me either at Haifa or at some point between there and Damascus. Until then he had been feeling his way Stan eae S along—‘‘spieling”’ as he calls it—keeping his +. a = Adventure man interested while he made all ready for the next trick. “To tell you the truth,” he went on, ‘Omar isn’t that fellow’s real name. He is a sharp one, and he is after the letter every bit as much as you are.” “How do you know that?” “Wallah, how not? Because he himself told me! Just like you, he tried to get me into partnership. He offered me a big reward, but he’s not like you, so I didn’t believe him; and he has no daughter; I’ve no use for a man who hasn’t a good-looking daughter. What he’s afraid of is that some one else may get the letter first. And he’s a desperate fellow. He told me his inten- tions and whether you believe me or not, they’re worthy of a wolf!” “T’m glad I resolved to take you into confidence,”’ said Yussuf Dakmar, nodding. “Go on; I’m listening. Tell me what he told you.” “He plans to get hold of the letter be- tween Haifa and Damascus. He thinks that’s safest, because it’s over the border and there won’t be any British officers to interfere. Somewhere up the Lebanon . Valley, after most of the passengers have “Yeft the train, looks good to him. But I think he knows who you are.” “Yes, he knows me. Go on.” ‘And he’s afraid you’ll get help and fore- stall him. So he’s going to watch Ramsden like a cat watching a mouse-hole, and he’s going to watch you, too. And if anybody tries to interfere at Haifa, or if men get on the train between Haifa and Damascus, who look like being accomplices of yours, he’s going to murder Ramsden there and then, seize the letter, and make a jump for it! You see, he’s one of those mean fel- lows—a regular dog in the manger; he’d rather get caught by the police and hanged for murder than let anybody else get what he’s after. Oh, believe me, I didn’t trust him! TI laughed when he made his proposal to me.” “Now that is very interesting,” said Yus- suf Dakmar. “To tell you the truth I had a little experience with him last night my- self. He came on me by accident in a certain place, and we conversed. I pre- tended to agree with him for the sake of appearances, but I formed a very poor opinion of him. Well; suppose we put him out of the way first; how would that be? You look like a strong man. Suppose you - E@michooks C@