The Argosy, March 27, 1920 — page 51: what you’re looking at

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

ALY’S REVENGE—AND ALLAH'S, “T will haunt thee if thou dost not,”’ said the girl. “ Be sure that I will die before I wilt be thy wife, if thou keepest not to the promise. And mayhap thou wilt die with me.” “And what if I do?’ laughed Ali, “How better could I go to paradise than with thee?’ The girl put her hand down without throwing the dice. “No,” said Ali, “I trust thee not. They must roll.’ She took them up, and, with her eyes fixed on him, dropped them on the floor. They rolled—a four came up, and an ace. “There,” said the girl, as the tears came into her eyes, ‘“I have cast the fifth ace, Thou wilt let me go now.” ““Women may talk large,” said Najob Azoura, “but they come to tears in the end. Come, child.’’ “Nol!” roared Ali, springing to his feet. “ By Allah, she shall not go!” “Thou wilt: not break thy bargain,” said the girl faintly. “Thou wilt rue it. There is a hell for perjurers!”’ ‘‘T love thee!” said Ali. “I will not give thee up! Dice or no dice, thou art mine. I will make thee happy, for thou shalt rule my house and me, and all that I have.” “Rule thy house and thee!” echoed the girl. ‘I would see thee dead first!” A slow flush crept over Hassan’s face. “Thou shalt rue that, my bird,” he said slowly, ‘‘ when I have caged thee,”’ “Nay, child,” expostulated Najob, “calmness bringeth more than haste,” The girl turned and sped from the room, but the white figure of Kahleel met her in the dark corridor. He touched her arm and whispered: “I am here, beloved, and have heard. Go back.” She wrapped her veil about her head and returned to the room. ““T thought so,” said Ali. ‘“ There are those outside to turn thee back, and not too gently.” He clapped his hands, and when the slave glided in said: ‘‘ A donkey litter from the caravansary.”’ The girl took her place by the side of the old merchant. “ Najob,” said Ali, ‘‘ bring me the parch- 201 ment and ink, and I will make an order upon the goldsmith!” When this was done, the three sat in silence wntil the litter came to the door. “Come, my bird,” said Ali, “ we will go home together, like the loving pair that we will become.” She went quietly into the courtyard, and mounted into the litter without touching the hand that Ali put out to her. ‘“ Farewell, little one, said the old mer- chant; “have patience. I looked into Ali’s pearl this morning, and I saw that which maketh me believe that Heaven will save the innocent.” As the procession crossed the square Ali Hassan cast a longing glance at the coffee-house. He said to his slave: “ Ba- tuta, take this maid home, and if she escape God help thee! I will leave the others with thee to help guard her,” Alone he trotted across to the coffee- house, left his donkey, and walked in. He did not go to his usual corner; instead, he walked on through to a smaller and more private room. : “ Mustufa,” he said to the proprietor, “coffee, of course, and—Mustufa, hast thou anything else that a good Moham- medan like myself might drink?” Mustufa looked knowingly at him, and said: ‘TI have no wine, O Ali, but an excellent bottle of arrak.” “There can be no harm in my taking a drop,” said Ali Hassan, “ since this is one of the great days of my life. Of course, my Mustufa, it should not be known that so stanch a follower of the Prophet as myself should drink liquors, but thou know- est that some exception may be made in the case of rulers and the like.” Mustufa brought a wicker-bound bottle and a cup, and the great man drained one cup and then another of the liquor. He lighted his long pipe, and sat in the little room with a smile upon his heavy features, and his hands clasped across his girdle. A flush came upon his face as the liquor stirred his sluggish blood. Across the square he saw the tall figure of the youth, Kahleel. He arose, put his head out of the small window, and roared: “ Kahleel! Youth! Poet! Come hither!” comicbookssacom