The Argosy, March 27, 1920 — page 56: what you’re looking at

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

206 said Kahleel, and the rocks echoed the girl’s laughter. Ali Hassan had crept so close that he could have touched them. He took the pistol from his belt; it was a muzzle-loader, with one charge; he could fire, but that would leave him without protection on his return journey. He clubbed the pistol and struck once. Kahleel pitched forward with a groan; the girl screamed and whirled about. ‘Ali Hassan!” Ave,” said their pursuer, “ the fat pig with the thick wits.” He put out his hand toward her, but she fled away from him among the rocks. “One at a-time,” said Ali. “ Catch one of a pair, and the mate will come.” He touched the man with his foot. Kah- leel stirred and groaned. Ali raised his pistol, but lowered it again. Instead of firing, he cut the cord which bound their luggage, and tied Kahleel hand and foot. Kahleel opened his eyes and gazed up at the face above ehim-—a face in which the eyes were shot with blood and the lips black and swollen almost to the size of ripe figs. He turned his head and saw Mirza crouching among the rocks. ‘““Why dost thou not kill me?” he said. “Thou canst not frighten me by looking at me. I am no child, to be frightened at goblins.” ““T am studying how to kill thee,” said Ali Hassan. “Take me,” said Mirza, ‘“ and let him “And why,” exulted the pursuer, “should I not kill him and take thee, too?” The girl said nothing, but moved closer to her lover, and put out her hand as if to touch him, but Ali seized her by the wrist. ““T have a heart,” said Kahleel, ‘‘ as oth- ers have. Put the point of thy knife under my fifth rib and thy revenge will be done.” ‘“That were too much kindness,” said Ali musinely. ‘‘ If we were but in the city now I would know how to deal with thee. T could give thee such a drug as would make thee an idiot the rest of thy days, or have thee garroted, or killed in a hundred ways, But I am no desert dweller, and g9 THE ARGOSY. know not how men may best revenge them- selves in this waste.” The sun was fully up now, and a beam struck across the rock, “Move him out of the sun,’ said the girl, ‘‘ if thete is any pity in thee.” Ali looked at her a moment, laughed wildly. “ Maid,” he cried, “I have to thank thee. His blood will not be upon my head, but upon thine!” = Still holding the girl by the wrist, he fumbled among the baggage and found the tent pegs. He drove four of them deep into the sand with a bit of rock. He let the girl’s hand go and said: “If thou art quiet, | may have mercy on him.” She sank to the ground. and wept bit- terly, while Ali rolled his helpless victim between the tent pegs and bound him hand and foot to them. Kahleel lay stretched upon the burning sand like a man on a cross. “ Ali Hassan,” said the young man, ‘thou shalt. be kind to the girl, or I will haunt thee.” Ali laughed again. “Thy spirit will see things that will please thee,” he said, “if it comes to my harem.” He sat down, threw out his arms, and said: : “Body of Allah! I am hungry for the and first time. What hast thou here for a fam- ished man? Nejed dates, samh, and clot- ted cheese!”’ When he had devoured as much of their food as he could, he said: ‘“ Now this is the mercy I will show him, maid. I will leave the rest of the food in his sight, so that if he should escape from his bonds he shall not starve. Thou and I will ride the camel.” He walked toward the camel, but the Oman threw up its head and trotted away a few steps. He tried again, but it evaded him, and he went back to his horse, mount- ed it, and tried to catch the camel. The horse was too weary to go beyond a shuf- fling trot, no matter how much he beat it. “ The devil rot thy bones!” he cried in a fury, pulled his pistol from his girdle, and shot at the beast. It broke into a long Cconniclooolkks.comn