Argosy, Vol. 123, No. 1 — page 107: what you’re looking at

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

THE CARAVAN passing rain-storm. But the performance of the kadji was still beyond her under- standing. “Tt is a ritual,” whispered Donovan, who had drawn nearer in the shadow, “ that occurs only two or three times in a summer. Then the priest of Yahka Arik steps into that confounded steam. It does not harm him.” éc Why?” He hesitated, unwilling to explain further, but anxious not to reveal his own growing anxiety for her. “You chose a bad time to come here, Edith. It is what the Sayaks call the miracle of life. This mosque is their holy spot. The spring underneath has a good deal of sanctity attached to it. Some old legend, you know. Just at noon the sun pierces the hole in the roof.”’ “Tt was beautiful,” she murmured. “ But to see the hadji—it gave me the creeps.” Donovan was watching the last of the Sayaks move toward the door. There were no sextons to close the mosque gates, which were open day and night, but the guards always remained, and to get the girl away, past those gates, unseen, was vitally important. “ Don’t move from these pillars!” he warned sharply. ‘“ Wait until the rear- most Sayaks have gone from the entrance arch; near at hand, in sunlight, they would see through that dress at once. Edith, you were mad to come here—”’ Impatiently he started forward; but the voices of worshipers still in the outer court arrested him. Within, the gloom of the vast mosque weighed upon the two. Edith found herself gazing from shadow to shadow fearfully, and listening for footsteps that she fancied were moving toward them. Impulsively she stepped to his side and took his hand, surprised to find it so chill. ** Are we in such danger?” she whispered. Then: “ You came to find me.” This thought filled the woman with mute delight. She wanted him to understand that she also had been thinking of him. “TI thought the AZadji would help us if I told him everything—”’ : “Edith! You would have been sent away by Mahmoud, on the caravan of the 7 ARGosy OF THE DEAD. 97 dead. That is the penalty for an outsider 7 who sees the hadji in his mosque—” He broke off as the dome opened again, letting the ray of sunlight stream into the depths of the temple. They had heard no movement, nor had they seen the hands that worked the aperture. Donovan’s hand closed on her protectingly as his eyes sought the entrance. ‘“ Dear woman, you must understand. The Sayaks are not ordinary Mohamme- dans, but are outlawed by the orthodox followers of the Prophet. They are preyed upon by Turk, Alaman, Buddhist, and Hindu—” «ce Why?” “They worship the sun.” Edith was silent, thinking of the ray of light, and the praying throngs that had raised their eyes to it. “The #adp is their saint, Edith. And they have carefull concealed the real loca- tion of his temple from their enemies—” She saw that while he spoke he was watching the folds of the heavy curtain that hung behind the vapor. Seeing this, sue felt an impulse to flee from the mosque that seemed to be closing in upon them: “We know—both of us,” he went on quietly, “‘ the secret of Yahka Arik. And every fanatical mullah from Constantino- ple to Kashgar would willingly lose his fingers and eyes if he could help tear down this temple of the sun—older than San Sophia, and a thorn in the side of Moslem political power—”’ The curtain folds swayed, as if a breath of air had stirred them. The voices outside the entrance quickened, and Edith had the fleeting sensation of being encompassed in a trap. She pressed close to the man, who smiled down at her. ““ We'll make it yet. Come, Edith.” The voices of the worshipers in the court were no longer to be heard. Edith could not help glancing behind her as they start- ed from the shelter of the pillars. She had fancied that the curtain had parted, drawn back by a hand from within. “ How did you follow me?” she asked gently, wishing to hear from his own lips why he had sought her. Co LOOOLK C©