Adventure Magazine Cover — page 161: what you’re looking at

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

The Edge of the Simitar “Who fired the pistol?” “Mr. Cohusac.”’ “Oh, Ja!’ said Cohusac, turning his head. Waving angrily at the crowd, he added: “Stand back! Do you not see Iam busy?” And he continued to pace with extremely erratic steps the distance he had flung the spear. “T threw the pot down from my barasa,” explained Sevier. “Ves,”’ said Hickson dryly; “che threw a pot. But why the are you standing here asking questions? Get after them, man! We’ll make all the explanations neces- sary in the choki,* tomorrow.” “Very well, sir,”.said the inspector, saluting. “They went in the direction of the Somali Bazaar,” said Abu Khalil obligingly, having mingled unobtrusively with some of his guests in the crowd. Immediately the crowd scattered, and the chase was on. “Let’s push off, Cohusac,” said Hickson. “They'll never catch them. I want some rest; and it'll be a rotten thing for me if my name gets mixed up with the report of any row.” Sevier walked with them as far as the corner, Cohusac with an arm around each friend’s neck. At the corner Hamid ap- peared and, lifting his frail master to his shoulders, carried him the rest of the way. By the time they had reached his quarters, however, the Frenchman was in a condition to walk up the stairs himself had there been any necessity for doing so. “Vour demonstration,”? Cohusac said to Hickson with enthusiasm, “was very com- plete! Who were they after?”’ ¢ ‘Me! 9 ‘You should be proud! It was well done!” Hickson reloaded his revolver, took the drink Hamid offered him and motioned the servants away. “Now,” he said, leaning over the table, “you are convinced?” “Oh, I was convinced before; but I had no idea there would be action so quickly. I can’t account for it.” “T must have been recognized. Those tribesmen who looked like servants to you— they know me. Couldn’t you tell by the leather collars and amber beads that they were not servants? We won’t go into that, though. I haven’t time. Do you feel up to it? * Jail. Do you think you can help me?” I5I Cohusac stood up and clapped his white fists against his frail chest. ‘“Look!”’ he exclaimed. “You have already put new life into me! I feel it tingling in my skin! Did younot see? I hurled that spear fifteen yards! If a man had been so silly as to interpose himself he would cer- tainly have been injured!” “This is not comedy,’ declared the English- man impatiently. “Tt is high romance!’ murmured Cohusac, resuming his seat. “My whole hope,” said Hickson, “‘is to try to prevent an appalling war.” “Oh, !”? said the Frenchman in a low, strained voice, his face turning to marble and his dark eyes blazing. ‘I have been forgetting the real issue! Hickson, you have really put new life into me. I told you that the doctors had graciously given me six more months. My past I gave to France. If I can give the remaining six months to humanity, I do not care what happens to me then. Tell me your plans— and count on me absolutely.” THE Englishman was deeply im- we) pressed. He had been under high - pressure for days making the risky crossing from Somaliland. His sudden con- tact with civilized conditions had eased the pressure to a dangerous degree. In his own opinion he had blown off too much. The reaction left him mentally weary. As he looked up at the high mountain yet to be crossed and considered the risks of getting away to sea before dawn a wave of dejection had swept over him. He had felt that the strain was a little too much. But at his old friend’s words the fires suddenly leaped again. If the Frenchman could be unconquerable, he would be inflexible. “All right, Cohusac,” he said quietly; “T’ll ‘depend on you to do your best in Aden with- out falling into official snarls. Don’t run any risk of crossing Government wires. They may have secret plans of their own. “What I expect you to do is to ferret in the bazaar. All this sort of intrigue centers here. Use your own judgment what to do if you discover anything. I have no in- tention of trying to build up a scheme of cooperation, because it wouldn’t work. All I hope from you is some concentrated sniping. You saw what they tried on me tonight. Well, that’s what I hope you'll do, reversed!” Go DOOLK 1 O)