Adventure, February 20, 1922 — page 57: what you’re looking at

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

The Seventeen Thieves of El-Kalil turned to the faithful eight and gave his orders in an unchanged voice: “°Tention! Quick march! Double!” CHAPTER XII» 4 “Let’s have supper now and drink to them seventeen thieves!” WE STOPPED at the jail and brought the guard away, jailers and all, leav- ing the prisoners to whatever fate awaited them. Most mobs empty the jail first thing, if only for the sake of mischief, but de Crespigny took care that the outer door was locked and bolted. Cohen arrived in a state of jubilant joy two or three minutes after we reached the Governorate; and then we had a surprize. Ali Baba turned up with his sixteen sons. “What do you want here?” asked de Crespigny. ‘“‘They are coming to kill you officers.” Well?” “T and my sons have pledged ourselves to be your friends. Give us guns. We will fight for you until the end comes.” “T’ve got no guns, O father of true promises.” “Tatb. We have knives.” There wasn’t any comment you could make exactly. De Crespigny shook hands with him and Jones posted them in the hall, where in a free-for-all fight against an in- vading mob knives could be used to the best advantage. Cohen disappeared, and came back ten : minutes later with the bitterly protesting Scots nurse. He could not have brought her by force, for she was stronger than any two of him, but he had threatened to mur- _der the doctor unless he ordered her away to the Governorate; and the doctor had smiled and given in, saying that the presence of a woman might help the boys. But she was angry. My word, she was angry! And she set about fixing up a first-aid place at once in de Crespigny’s bedroom, although I did not see what good that would do if the mob came on in earnest. And sure enough, they came within the hour, bringing torches with them, roaring up the street like bulls turned. loose. “They paused before the jail to hold a consultation, but after five minutes of noise decided not to open it; then came on again, singing about the swords of El-Kalil. And because it was dark and you couldn’t guess their numbers, ~ ° 2 , ee J SE Se eo Se LG oes Sa Fe ee al 59 it seemed as if the whole East were surging along to swamp and roll over us and _ surge along forever. << “T’ll take mine on the steps with the police,” said Jones and went out through — the front door, where we heard the breech- _ belts clicking as he examined the men’s ~ rifles in the window-light. “Poor old Jonesy’s got the wind up ~~ badly!” said de Crespigny. “Tl go out to | the gate and talk to them. Grim, will you do what you can to hold the place if they scough me?” e='5 He followed Jones out through the door a and Grim sent me to the roof with a re- volver and orders to use my wits if I had any left. So I saw what took place better e oS than any one did. = s De Crespigny mounted the walland stood this time, for they could not have seen =e ‘ otherwise, while the mob milled and san S songs at him. You could see their eyes ae the light of the lanterns they carried—that and the sheen on swords and knives, nothing ‘more. It was a long time before he could — make his voice heard and then they laughed at him, which is a very bad sign among © Moslems. | | “What do you want?” he demanded. Siw * de J, Ce ) as hye a! i 2 Aten te Rt er , 4 im 1 (seas ry be : | we We Y ms * - rt) ie “ “% ‘ ae , ve hi? 7 ‘EA! ’ we yy AS OPS! Oi ts iz? . ; ‘ ‘in ra Rate fi, a) ' a ty batt j ‘ f iff >> var & yy “Rifles!” “T have none.’ “ie “Liar! ee of lies! Kill the liar and “ee loot his stores!” eee] De Crespigny held one hand up for silence and because they were used to piving him a = hearing they gave him a last one now. ~ = 3S “Now for your own sakes, don’t be fools} Se You can kill me; that’s easy. You can loot the Governorate, although you'll find that tough, work and not worth while. Then you can start for Jerusalem; and the Sikhs will © meet you on the way! I’ve done my best : £ " din: 5 : re , : j ds oH, BUF KW, % . 4 oy wi i for you. If you’ll go back-to your homes a now there shall be no reprisals for this = night’s work. Go home, and act like sensi- ble men!” ease Some one threw a rock at him, but missed and it broke a lower window. They laughed Pe and he held up a hand for silence again. It was then that I heardarowlikethe grumble of far-off thunder and looking to the right _ ae saw a string of swiftly moving lights—very —> strong lights,,one behind the other, heading — this way from Jerusalem. That was Sikhs in lorries; it couldn’t be anything else, They es were coming like a fourth-alarm turn-out ae to a fire. ae = eA E ae ore >