Argosy, Vol. 123, No. 1 — page 114: what you’re looking at

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

104 “T have a friend,” she said quickly. “He should be here any minute: I will not leave without him.” ‘A friend!’’ Monsey hissed angrily. ‘Some native! Have I come here to risk my neck for any one but you? The valley is guarded—”’ Like a clarion from the skies, the long trumpet blast of Yahka Arik devastated the twilight quiet. Monsey started, and caught the girl’s wrist. “You hear? Ah!” He fancied that he saw a movement on the terrace overlooking the garden. You must come before the guard is changed—now—do you hear?”’ “Let me think.” Edith was trying to grasp the situation. Reason told her that John Donovan, alone, would find it easier to win free from Yahka Arik than if bur- dened with her. Because they trusted him, the Sayaks obeyed him. But the girl found that she did not want to leave the valley without John Donovan. ‘“‘ No,” she said. ‘‘ I can’t explain it all ” —she was breathless with the urgent need of the situation—‘‘ Dono-van Khan will soon be here. He will know. I must not do anything without him.” ‘“A khan?” Monsey, intent on the bal- cony that was shrouded in gloom, caught only vaguely the name. “‘ Edith, do you want them to catch me?” Under his breath he muttered: ‘‘ Don’t think, young lady, that I also am a fool.” He stepped nearer, his hand rising sud- denly to her face. He had caught the silk shawl in his fingers. The girl, startled and suspicious, tried to draw away; but Mon- sey wrapped the shawl quickly about her head, holding it fast with an arm that he passed around her shoulders. The other arm caught her close to him, lifted her from the ground. ; CHAPTER XXVIII. —AND BROKEN. 2 E XCELLENCY, the night was coming, and the garden was a place of shad- ows. Even so, for the trumpets had blown. An owl could have seen; I am not an owl. I did not see their faces, but only their THE ARGOSY. bodies. How was I to know? All un- worthy, thou despisest me. Truly, my sorrow has gripped my flesh and what is within me—here.”’ Aravang was speaking in his own tongue. As he ended he smote his muscled chest with a knotted fist that made the hollow within his bones echo like a drum. Air escaped his bearded lips in a long, hissing breath. Impatien@y, Donovan moved. He was standing, feet planted wide, at the edge of the balcony overlooking the garden and the gray expanse that was the lake surface. Under impulse of a fresh breeze, the water’s margin leaped against the stones. ‘From the beginning,” he said slowly. ‘Tell me what you did and what you saw. I do not blame you. But I must know.” Aravang squatted on his heels, facing the lake, struggling with the need of intelligent speech. Unlike Iskander, he was a man of few words and fewer ideas. While he talked, the white man bent nearer to catch each syllable of the tongue he did not know as well as others. His brain was afire with the need of action. Yet men who have commanded others in the armies of the world know the folly of action upon insuffi- cient information. “Excellency, I am thy kul. And for the white woman I would give the blood from my severed veins—aye. This is what came to pass, because of my folly. Aze! She sent me to seek thee. This I did not like, well knowing that thou and others of the manaps wert in council. I passed through the village, looking on all sides. An Usbek told me that the council had disbanded, and so I hastened back, thinking that thou wouldst be again at the stone house, and hungry. ‘‘ Straightway I went to the fire and the pots, and did the necessary things. Then to the balcony I came, seeking thee and her. Two I saw in the garden, but not the faces. One was a woman.” ‘“ Are you sure it was your mistress?” Aravang grunted a disconsolate affirma- tive. ‘“Aye. Should I not know her poise, and the murmur of her voice, even from afar? The other I thought to be thee, for it was a COMIGDOO SS C©