The Argosy, March 27, 1920 — page 47: what you’re looking at

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

ALIS REVENGE—AND ALLAB’S, the trunk. As it leaned toward the wall opposite to the house, he jumped quickly and landed light as a cat on the wall. He ran softly along it until he was opposite the carved window of the chamber over the gate, and there dropped flat under the pro- tection of a branch of foliage. Across from him spread the dark carving of the window—a screen covered the lower half of it. Above it he could see the dim interior—rugs, a tabouret, and neaf‘it a girl sitting with her head bowed and her hands lying unclasped in her lap. Kahleel looked long upon her and said: “ Ali Hassan, thou shalt go to Paradise yet, for this boon thy pearl hath brought me.” He heard a camel grunting down the lane; ran lightly back to his date palm, slid down it quickly, and took his place beside the begear with his cloak wrapped about his head. A caravan trailed past, bound for the sea, and in the trail of it Hmped Najob Azura. The tracks of tears still showed on the old man’s cheeks, and when Kahleel arose before him, he said: ‘‘ Thou, too! Misfortune on misfortune! It was not enough that the fat Turk took my best rug, but thou must step in and claim two pounds! ” “Not so,’ said Kahleel, smiling. “I saved thee from a whipping, and perhaps worse. 1 saw that thou wert an old man and a coast dweller, and I stepped in to save thee. Now | have come to give thee back the two pounds in English gold.” “Young man,” said Najob Azoura, turn- ing his watery eyes upon the youth, “ it is impiety to jest with thy elders. No man parteth with what treasure he hath.” “| have not come to jest with thee,” said Kahleel. ‘Here are thy two pieces of gold.” He held them out to the old man, who took them, weighed them on his finger-tip, and pocketed them. He picked up his rugs without a word, struck three times upon the gate, and it swung open to him. Kahleel made as if to follow him, but the old man said quickly: ‘‘ Nay, I allow no strangers within my gates.” “The house is thine,” said Kableel, shrugging his shoulders, ‘‘ but there is other business that I would talk with thee.” “Then shall it be done here,” said the 197 merchant, dropping his bundle. ‘ What wouldst thou with me?” Kahleel was silent for a time, and then he said: ‘“ Najob Azoura, hast thou ever been a lover?” The old man arose. ‘This is not business,” he said. Kahleel seized his wrist and pulled him down to his-seat. ‘But that is what I would talk to thee ol. ” ey put such foglishness. out of my head years ago,” said Najob. ‘Then why,” answered the young man, “do you keep a girl mewed up within your house?” The old man made as if to rise again, but Kahleel clung to his wrist. “Thou shalt hear me,” he said, ‘ or I will tell Ali Hassan that thou art a kid- naper. How came that girl to be with thee?” ‘“T found her in Abs desert,” said Najob Azoura. “ She was in a catavan that was raided. She alone escaped and fell into the hands of a chief of the Beni Lam. She told me her tale, and I bought her for three camels. Her father will pay me well to bring her back to him,” Kahleel listened intently. “ That is where I lost track of her,” he said. “JT followed her caravan, which was bound from Howeit to Maskat, but I lost it and came hither.” “And what is the maid to thee?” the old merchant. “She is my beloved,” said Kahleel sim- ply, “and thou shalt give her to me.’ “ Her father shall give her to thee,” said the rug merchant. ‘“ My task is to take her to him.” “ That is the point of the whole matter,’ said Kahleel ; looking upon the ground, ‘ her father will net give her to me, because lam poor. He sent her away, thinking that she would have fled with me.” ‘She hath said that her father will give mea hundred pounds in English gold and pay me for the camels I gave for her. Is that true?” “Aye,” said Kahleel, truth.” ‘But what canst thou give, O lover?” ‘The maid speaks cComicbooksacom