Adventure Magazine Cover, December 10, 1922 — page 74: what you’re looking at

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

68 He might have been hearing a witness in rare language. “Tf Mahommed Babar comes too late,” said King, ‘“‘there’s this—perhaps we couldn’t have used our lives to better ad- vantage.” “How so?” demanded Linkinyear. “Td rather take mine with the damage I’d done all in full view around me!” “Tt might be the last of this Committee,” King answered. ‘The sight of us all dead may arouse Mahommed Babar to the——” There came a kick against the door. It opened slightly. There was a noise of scuf- fling, and it closed again. “There! Some one’s coming to the rescue! There! That comes of praying!” exclaimed Mrs. Wilmshurst, getting off her knees. The door opened wide. A man in a khaki shirt and pants, without much else on, was hurled in backward and the door slammed shut. “There! Babar?” It was Cotswold Ommony, flat on his back. King helped him to his feet. 10, 4 0tl” “°Lo, Athelstan!” “Any prospect?” “None whatever!” “How did you come so quickly?” “Borrowed his horse. When I gave him your message he was eating chupatties, standing in front of his tent. He went on eating. “ “My friend King sahib asks more than he knows,’ he answered. ‘You speak of the benefit of doubt. Whose doubt?’ “*Vour own,’ I said. ‘He has no doubt of you.’ “He looked me in the face for about a minute after that. You know the way he strokes his beard, standing with his legs apart? He looked pretty much like a man, with an old-fashioned saber he’s dug up Is that your Mahommed from somewhere. I liked him. I hope he realized it. ““No time to waste!’ I said. ‘This is post haste or nothing!’ ***You shall see what you shall see,’ he answered, and began shouting for some of the headmen. They came running. “*These are some of my most loyal,’ he told me, and then began explaining to them what was wanted. “You never saw such a riot! They turned on him like wild dogs. Accused him Adventure of treason. Said he had promised to lead ’em against troops on the railway line, and led they would be or else teach him what became of traitors! The mullah was down among the men already, playing his part, but some of the headmen ran and gave their version, and if it hadn’t been for a half- ‘dozen stalwarts they’d have scoughed -Mahommed Babar there and then. Several men took shots at him. He strode in among them like a man and a brother. Good to watch. “Tt turned their hearts like eggs on a skil- let. They shifted the blame on me—said 1’d come there to corrupt him. I became the target. Nine or ten of them missed me beautifully. He managed to control them for a moment somehow, and gave me his pony to escape on. Told me to cut and run back to my bungalow, where I'd be safe. I came here of course, hoping my influence might have weight, but I’m worse than useless. The Committee told me point- blank they would rather cut my throat than any one’s, because of the effect on the coun- tryside! They stripped me of nearly every- thing and pitched me in here, but I kicked two of them in the belly—hard!—before they got my boots!” “What time is it?” King asked. “Oh, about half-past ten—quarter to eleven—somewhere there. They took my watch. Not an earthly chance of Mahom- med Babar’s making it, even if he decides to, and they let him come.” “Any one know any hymns?” asked Mrs. Wilmshurst. “TI can hum tunes, but who knows the words of a hymn?”’ Ommony did. They say in the woods that Ommony knows everything. He not only could sing hymns, but he could put that pe- culiar verve into them that distinguishes faith from mere habit of say-so. When Ommony hymned you knew somehow that God, Allah, Jehovah, Elohim, Maheshwara— it, he, they are all one!—was in heaven, and all was well with the world, at least in principle! You could believe it as long as he kept on singing, beating time with hand, foot, shoulders, head—sometimes with all his body. Captain of unexpectedness, he knew psalms—could sing them, too! It takes time to roll out those stately meters. It may have been nearly noon when the door opened and a voice called: “Come out, one at a time! Mr. Om- mon-ee first!” comichook (E(9)