Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 28, 1928 — page 139: what you’re looking at

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

THE RULER OF ZEM-ZEM. no reason to complain of their treat- ment, for the three days’ hospitality, which is the law of the desert, was lib- erally interpreted. But they were pris- oners in the great arched court in which they woke, every exit was guarded, and every question which Cardell put to the gigantic guardians was left unanswered. When the third night fell, all three realized that the time had come for some crisis to occur, and the dinner served to them was left almost un- touched. “ About time for the play to start?” asked Montgomery, putting down his mint-flavored tea, and leaning back against a tightly stuffed red satin cush- ion. ‘ The overture finished with that dinner, I imagine!” ‘Wish I knew what they’ve done with our servants,” was Cardell’s com- ment. “It’s all so absurdly like a scene from the ‘Arabian Nights’! con- tinued Montgomery. “ Eastern palace —black mutes— mysterious agency which provides every creature comfort. I suppose if we rubbed the right lamp the jinni would appear!’ “Tf I’m not mistaken, the jinni is on his way now,” Cardell interrupted. They sat alert and listening, and a murmur of voices reached them—the pad-pad of unshod feet, then the cloth- of-gold, which curtained an arch in front of them, was drawn back in one swift movement. They rose involuntarily, astonish- ment giving way to a most unpleasant sensation of horror. 7 Cardell reacted with the same pe- culiar aversion he had for reptiles— the same chill sickness seized him, the same rigidity of the nerve centers at the base of his skull. Then he heard the hiss of Montgom- ery’s indrawn breath, and the sound steadied him. He glanced sidewise at Durning and noticed a muscle working violently at the angle of the jaw, his tanned face a dirty yellow. A horrible rustle of laughter greet- ed them as they bowed, and began, in halting words, to return thanks for hospitality received; but, at sight of the obscene mirth which possessed their host, speech failed them alto- gether. The dim, almost sightless eyes of that living death which confronted them, gleamed maliciously in their red sockets — the pendulous, discolored lips quivered—and the glistening, sil- very skin of the face, one side almost rotted away, was a thousand times more revolting as it stretched and wrinkled in that awful laughter. This was Abou Koi, ruler of Zem- Zem — whose strength had made his city greater than any other city in the desert! Abou Koi, the warrior, who had reddened his spear point in the blood of countless victims both in war and in peace — for he loved to kill! Abou Koi, whose devouring lust would hold a woman for a day—or a week, and then poison her that none other might drink from that same fair chalice. Abou, the ruler—the warrior—the lover—and now Abou Koi, the leper, rou within the walls of his cita- el! ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth!” said the dreadful whistling voice. “I have given you life, and from you I[ ask one thing—and that I will have, or I take back my gift again.” | Cardell averted his eyes as another spasm of amusement convulsed that awful mask of a face, and asked what gift he craved. “The jewel which this rich fool bought from Ben Ali at Constantine, and which he hath placed in his bank in Algiers,” and Abou Koi leered into Durning’s stupefied face. “My brain is not powerless because its sheath is useless and rotted!” went on the shekh. “I know of your eight moons in the desert, oh, rich and fool- ish white men! I know of the ten S EOPMICLOOO© 569 (E@)