Adventure Magazine Cover, December 10, 1922 — page 70: what you’re looking at

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

64 “Better let me go alone,” the mullah an- swered, ever on the alert for a chance to switch plans undetected. Then suddenly he recalled an earlier thought that he must have a witness if his alibi was to be the least use. “No. No. It is good. I will go with Ommon-ee.” King shut both fists in a characteristic gesture. “As you suggested, keep him in sight, Cot. I’m off tos Podanaram—now—to- night—no argument. Arrive as soon after dawn as I can make it. Will you lend me your pony? Have to take a chance on leopards.” “’Take the pony certainly. But what when you get there?” asked Ommony. “Surrender, of course—tell ’em I’m an Englishman. They’ll add me to the list for the auto da fe. You tell Mahommed Babar where Iam. Say I sent you. Don’t say anything about his father and mine, but say that as regards that tiger incident I’m giving him the benefit,of the doubt.” “You think “T know! Has the pony been fed?” “He has. And there’s a jungli, who can get you by the leopards,” answered Om- mony. CHAPTER XVI “Tomorrow a big victory!” Saal pt it only lacked two hours of dawn, the roar amid the trees was like the din of a city. Im a clearing, partly natural and partly new-hewn, the watch- fires threw sparks that would have set Ommony’s heart on fire, but more by luck than arrangement the dry trees had not caught. There was a glow over the tree- tops, and a great din where the blacksmiths labored, so, that from half-a-mile away it might have looked like a titans’ forge. Only, it would have been very risky for strangers to come within a mile, because of the pickets who guarded every negotiable track. Mahommed Babar had done with inde- cision. He walked resolutely from one fire to the next addressing scant words to the men who cleaned their weapons by the blaze or merely awoke from slumber to greet him as he went by. No need to listen to what he said. His attitude, with a great old-fashioned saber slung from his shoulder by a modern Sam.Brown belt; the reception he received; the air of alert expectancy he Adventure left behind him—all were perfectly eloquent. Nevertheless, the words, being the ex- pression of the spirit in him, were important. “Tomorrow a big victory! Obedience, remember—wait for the word—leave loot to the jackals—be tigers! Be proud! Seek nothing but to conquer in fair fight— and the rest is sure! You shall have a vic- tory tomorrow, and then forward to another one!’ As savages will, they turned his words over and over by one fire, while he strode to the next, where some one would stir the sleepers and they would all sit up and grunt ' at him. “They conquered India by discipline— by obedience to orders—by fighting fair and not establishing resentment. When they take prisoners they treat them well, caring for the wounded. Do ye so likewise. In no other way can ye win freedom.” He had the fiery eye and carriage of a man of action—looked like a fighting man— promised victory—and yet refrained from foaming at the mouth and calling on God to curse whoever disagreed with him. Which, if they did not analyze, they at least appre- ciated. He told them at another fire how he had thrown his all, including life, into the scale. They might trust him to do his best for them. “There are others who urge you to out- rage now, who will run from the first sign of disaster. You will find me with you to the end, whatever that may be!” Wy one fire a fellow sneered openly, de- manding what hope of profit had brought him from the North to claim leadership. “T fight for all India,” he answered. “TI forbid rape and murder, and you hate me. But I tell you, it is only by such fighting as I permit that you can win freedom and set India free!” ‘Fhe idea of setting India free was a brand new one to most of them. If he left an excellent impression, it was much like a ship’s wake that prevails, but seldom long. There were men who followed him surrep- titiously from fire to fire, undoing his words, reversing them, pouring scorn on them, quoting the Koran in evidence that it is right to murder infidels of all sorts. “He says he will be with us to the end, but that is talk. Watch him! He will leave us in the lurch. Even tomorrow, pos- sibly. The Khalifate Committee speak ill GEomichbooks = Pd (E)