Adventure Magazine Cover — page 123: what you’re looking at

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

He “knew that never could all be well again between him and Asad. He knew that by virtue of his act of defiance he was irrevocably doomed, that Asad having feared him once, having dreaded his power to stand successfully against his face and overbear his will, would see to it that he never dreaded it again. He knew that if he returned to Algiers there would be a speedy end to him. His only chance of safety lay, indeed, in stirring up mutiny upon the spot and striking swiftly, venturing all upon that desperate throw. And he knew. that this was precisely what Asad had cause to fear. Out of this assurance had he conceived ’ his present plan, deeming that if he offered to heal the breach, Asad might pretend to consent so as to weather his present danger, © making doubly sure of his vengeance by waiting until they should be home again. . Asad’s gleaming eyes considered him in silence for a moment. “How remove that cause?’ he asked. “Wilt thou atone for the mockery of thy marriage, pronounce her divorced and relinquish her?”’ “That were not to remove her,” replied Sakr-el-Bahr. “Consider well, Asad, what is thy duty to the Faith. Consider that upon our unity depends the glory of Islam. Were it not sinful, then, to suffer the in-, trusion of aught that may mar such unity? Nay, nay, what I propose is that I should be permitted—assisted even—to bear out the project I had formed, as already I have frankly made confession. Let us put to sea again at dawn—or this very night if thou wilt—make for the coast of France, and there set her ashore that she may go back -to her own people and we be rid of her dis- - turbing presence. ‘Then we will return— there is time and to spare—and here or else- where lurk in wait for this Spanish argosy, seize the booty and sail home in amity to Algiers, this incident, this little cloud in the _ splendor of our comradeship, behind us and forgotten as if it had never been. Wilt thou, Asad—for the glory of the Prophet’s Law?” THE bait was cunningly presented, so cunningly that not for a moment 3 did Asad or even the malicious Mar- zak suspect it to be just a bait and no more. It was his own life, become a menace to Asad, that Sakr-el-Bahr was offering him in exchange for the life and liberty of that +> a The Sea~-Hawk BEE ae -and lovely that it enslaved him. And so he — - found himself torn two ways at once. ate the one hand, if he relinquished the woman, Frankish ee but clfotinig it as if = : * & unconscious that he did so. ae Asad _ considered, temptation gripping Be: that affecting to heal the dangerous breach that now existed he might carry Sakr-el- Bahr back to Algiers, there, beyond the aid — of any friendly mutineers, to have iim ee ¥ : strangled. It was the course to adopt nm G such a situation, the wise and sober course by which to ensure the overthrow of one who | from an obedient and submissive lieutenant had suddenly shown that it was possible for | him to become a serious and dangerous riva. Sakr-el-Bahr watched the Basha’s averted gleaming eyes under their furrowed, thoughtful brows, he saw Marzak’s face white, tense and eager in his anxiety that — his father should consent. And since his fathér continued silent, Marzak, unable. = longer to contain himself, broke into speech, — “He is wise, O my father!” was his a appeal. ‘The glory of Islam above all else! 2 Let him have his way in this, and let the 3 infidel woman go. Thus shall all be well = between us and Sakr-el-Bahr!”_~ ae He laid such a stress upon these words “a that it was obvious he desired them to convey a second meaning. Asad heard and understood that Marzak, too, perceived what was here to do; tighter aoe upon him became temptation’s grip; but _ tighter, too, became the grip of a tempta- _ tion of another sort. Before his fierce eyes — there arose a vision of a tall, stately maiden with softly rounded bosom, a vision so white 4 We es Wt On - A wa = ‘him.. Prudence urged him to accept, so ge he could make sure of his vengeance upon Sakr-el-Bahr, could make sure of removing that rebel from his path. On the other = hand, if he determined to hold fast to his — : desires and to be ruled by them, he must be ‘$2 prepared to risk a mutiny aboard the - galeasse, prepared for battle and perhaps for defeat. It was a stake such as no sane — Basha would have consented to set upon the _ board. But since his eyes had again’rested upon Rosamund, Asad was no longer sane. _ His thwarted desires of yesterday were the despots of his wits. sea “ He leaned forward now, looking deep into — er the eyes of Sakr-el-Bahr. 3 “Sinee for thyself thou dost not want her, — why dost thou thwart me?” he asked, and his voice trembled witht suppressed passion, — (C@) MIE DOOKSaC6