Argosy, Vol. 122, No. 1 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

4 THE ARGOSY. | my speaking shall make it otherwise. What do you seek when you go with the tribesman where I am not permitted to go?” “Once,” remarked John Donovan to - himself, “‘ there was a better man than I. A saint he was, I think. And a servant. Also, there was a rooster that gave the lie to his words. Now, Jain Ali Beg will profit, if I shouldn’t come back here—to the extent of a pony, a patched tent, and a fairly serv- iceable rifle. Well, he has coveted the rifle for a long time, and he didn’t knife me.” He relaxed his grip on the native. “So you think I should go, O sharer of my bread?” Jain Ali Beg inclined his turbaned head, as if seeking for the beetle that had van- ished by now. ‘““ Even so, excellency.”’ ‘“‘ Well, then, saddle my pony. And take heed, Jain Ali Beg, of this precious pearl of wisdom: Wait here at the camp fer me the space of twice ten days. If I come not -by then—all that I have is yours. But—- wait.” “T hear, and I obey, Dono-van Khan.” “Tf you do not wait, an evil thing will fasten on you, like to the shadow which follows your body—” - “Nay, I will wait.” The glimmer of real fear came momenta- rily into the keen eyes of the Sart. But greater than the fear was his greed. With- out. waiting for more, he ran off toward the small camp on the lake shore. There he filled a small saddle bag with food, and rolled a blanket. In a very little while John Donovan mounted and, with a wave of his hand, rode away along the sheep path that led around the end of Lake Issyuk Kul to the ‘Terskei Ala-tau—the southern shore where the caravan had passed. His tall figure sat easily erect on the shaggy pony. He guided his mount among the boulders until the grassy plain of the further shore was | reached, and here he spurred into a long gallop. . In this fashion the rider had left his serv- ant many times; now, Jain Ali Beg knew that his master would not return to find the tent waiting by the lake. Squatted down before the empty tent, Jain Ali Beg followed the course of his master until even his keen sight could no longer distinguish pony and rider. It was by now well past the hour of sunrise prayer for all followers of the prophet. But Jain Ali Beg did not wash; nor did he pray. Instead, he went into the tent and gazed admiringly upon the blued steel of the rifle that lay upon the extra blanket of John Donovan. The sun mounted high in the clear sky above the motionless waters of Issyuk Kul. A comfortable warmth was reflected from the rock surfaces about the tent. The tracery of shadows moved slowly, very slowly under the pines of the mountain slopes, and a faint breeze stirred among dead poplar leaves on the brown earth. On a projecting crag the form of an ibex silhouetted its splendid head against the sky. : Jain Ali Beg took up the rifle, glancing meditatively at the ibex. Thinking better of the impulse, he put down the weapon and fell to opening cans of John Donovan’s reserve supply of rations. He cooked and ate voraciously, after the manner of one satisfying a long hunger. Then he looked at the sun and struck the tent. Packing every article of value skilfully, he loaded the pack-pony and mounted his own horse. Painstakingly, he went over the site of the camp, burning the scattered bits of paper and the wrappings of the cans, with cardboard cartridge-boxes and anything that might give an indication of the nature of the men who had quartered themselves there. This done, he gave a grunt of satisfac- tion. He did not intend to wait at the lake as he had been ordered. Another hour, and the Sart was far from the camp, urging his beast along a trail apparently well know to him. By its halter, he led the reluctant pack-pony. . Horses and man passed from view within aravine. The broad expanse of Issyuk Kul was empty of life. The ibex herd, grazing on the upper slopes, had moved elsewhere, following the whim of its leader. For some time the fire had been dwindling to embers, and to ashes. Only, far overhead, the black speck that cComiclbooks.com