Adventure Magazine Cover — page 174: what you’re looking at

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

164 “T was in Beirut,”’ said Cohusac calmly. ‘“‘What were you doing there?”’ “Your lordship,” said Cohusac, bowing his head, “‘fate had brought disaster to my household. It was the will of God that for many days [ went hungry. In my misery I remembered the teacher under whom I had studied in the college at Beirut, and I went to him seeking charity. “At that time it happened that there was a tumult in the town. Truly is it said that a crowd has many arms and many teeth but no heart; they took from me the little I had, so that I was utterly penniless and starving, and when I approached the college in rags the servants no longer recognized me and drove me away with stones, calling me beggar.” “Tt is enough,” said Miriam. him.” “You believe!’ said Abu Khalil, raising his voice. ‘By the beard of the Prophet, you are easily convinced! One question from me. I, too, have been to Beirut. The college you speak of is a college of Christians. How can a true believer mingle at the same time with the enemies of his faith?” “Ts it not written,” said Cohusac mildly, hunching his shoulders as if fearful of the big Arab’s anger, “that if an infidel drop a pearl, a true believer may pick it up and yet not lose his soul? Behold, within that col- lege there was much to learn; and it had been the intention of my father to make me study many things, going first to this col- lege and then to that, as the will of God permitted. Truly, before I was ten I was already a talib and could recite many say- ings of the Prophet. Have I not wor- shiped at the great Mosque of Omar in Jerusalem?” “It-is enough,” said Miriam sternly. “T am satisfied.” “Waul” said one of the Somali chieftains with high impatience. ‘‘Who cares where this one studied? Let us have action. Tell us, friend of the faith, where is the Nasrant? Where is this American who calls himself Essevier Effendi?” Cohusac saw that Miriam was looking at him with her lips parted as if she had caught herself in the middle of a question to hear the answer to this. “‘Allah alone knows where he is now,” said Cohusac with indifference. ‘TI did him a service, and he paid me well.” “After he paid you,” asked Miriam faint- “T believe hs Adventure ly, “what then? What became’ of him?” “Oh, after that,’’ said Cohusac blithely, “the suddenly left Aden altogether. He left in the middle of the night to go to Djibouti, and it was his intention, if God willed it, to go into Abyssinia. Beyond that how should I know where he is?”’ INSTANTLY there was an uproar. The effect of Cohusac’s words could not have been more positive if he had emphasized them with pistol shots. Every man leaped to his feet, with exclamations in many languages. They ran about clutch- ing at one another, shouting, cursing. Abu Khalil roared at the top of his voice. Only Miriam remained silent, standing staring at Cohusac with a dazed expression in her widely distended eyes. ‘“‘He has escaped!’ she murmured. “By Allah, yes!’ said Abu Khalil, froth bubbling on his lips as he approached her. “T gave my wits to a fool and listened to a woman! You! What use has it been to listen to your fine talk?”’ fe Putting his heavy hands on her arms, thrusting his handsome face, distorted with passion, almost against hers, glaring with blazing eyes into her dark, smoldering orbs, he said in a voice that was choked and guttural: ‘Your place is in the harim! By Allah, it is time you saw reason!”’ At this affront to Miriam, who had not moved, there was instant unity of purpose. Arabs, Somalis, Abyssinians rushed at Abu Khalil, and despite his bulk tore him away from the woman, yelling, dragging at him, while he, for the moment lost to all reason, tried to wrest his hand loose so that he might whip out his jambeer. Weapons gleamed in the darkened room; the whites of eyes that had been sunk in wells of black flashed and sparkled. Cohusac, hunched on his mat, darting his head this way and that, felt as if he had fallen into a roaring whirlpool among jagged black rocks. Confusedly he wondered what chance he might have of crawling among the black legs to the door and making a bolt to dive over the parapet. The only thing that prevented him was the attitude of the woman, Miriam had remained without moving, her hands crossed upon her bosom, her fingers weaving about her throat, as the men struggled about Abu Khalil, forcing him NOOK 1@)