Argosy, Vol. 123, No. 2 — page 132: what you’re looking at

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

264 Dark figures passed between her and the lights. Heavy poles bearing a bundle at their ends were being raised into place. Once she saw Monsey, and instinctively shrank closer into her nest of récks—al- though he could not now see her in the dark. She noticed that the two sentries kept to the corners, at quite a distance. The Alaman, however, was very close, watching her. At times she heard the bull voice of Abbas lowered to a rumble and won- dered if he were seeking her. Without her realizing it, the need of preparation engaged the two leaders, so that they had no time to seek her out: Monsey being un- aware that she was not in the tower. Even the numbers in the kurgan were not free from the dread that the name of Yahka Arik inspired. On the cliff edge she heard the sound of a bird fluttering its wings. And then a chirp. Again came the whirr of wings, like that of a falcon rising, and not until then did Edith realize that Aravang had come and was signaling her. She stiffened and glanced up at the bulk of the Alaman. He had not noticed anything out of the usual, Whereupon Edith drew closer to the gap in the mass of stones. The sound of the bird—imitated from one of Aravang’s fal- cons—had been some yards away. Nothing was visible in the murk under the wall. “ Kul!’ she uttered clearly. The guard moved closer, to listen. The noise on the cliff quieted at once, but Edith thought she heard a pebble slide from its place. Unfortunately the Alaman had heard or guessed at something moving. He elbowed the girl to one side, thrusting his head out into the opening, with his rifle at the “* ready.” ‘““Aravang!” called Edith softly, and as she recollected a native phrase: “ Kaba- dar!” : | The body of the crouching guard was pressed close to her, and she wrinkled her nose at the scent of filthy sheep-skins. She thought quickly. Surely the form of the Alaman must be visible to some one with- out, framed as it was against the after- glow in the west. ~s THE ARGOSY. So Edith tightened her lips, and pushed suddenly with all the strength of her young arms. Taken unawares, the native overbal- anced, fell forward through the gap. A grunt resounded. He did not fall far. With strained ears, Edith heard a rifle rattle over the stones. The next instant the legs and scrambling feet of the guard disappeared as though drawn downward. A cough sounded, then the rustle of a heavy body following the rifle. Then silence. The slight noises had resounded like : miniature explosions to Edith. But the two sentries still kept their posts apparently. The bustle in the gourt and the stamping of horses drowned the struggle outside the wall. “My goodness!” Edith realized what had happened. ‘“ Oh, the poor man ’’—she shiv- ered as the powerful figure of Aravang crawled up beside her, climbing over the débris of rocks without. She caught the pungent scent of sweat-soaked wool. “Missy khanam!” Aravang thrust a cold metal object into her hand, fumbling for it in the dark. His own paw was damp.. Edith pushed the revolver back, wishing ardently that she could speak so that Ara- vang would understand. On thinking the matter over, she had realized that it would be safe for her servant to enter the kurgan. No one there knew Aravang, and as far as appearance went, he was much like the mot- ley men of Monsey’s forces. “Come,” she whispered, laying hand on his shoulder. The man was breathing hard, his giant shoulders tensed, like a swimmer after a long battle with the waves. It had been no mean feat to climb the cliff of Yahka Arik. ‘““Dono-van Khan” he growled beseech- ingly, and again: ‘“ Dono-van Khan.” “Yes, Aravang,” she whispered reassur- ingly, as she would to a child. CHAPTER XXXIII. SANCTUARY OF THE TOWER. BY now the aspect of the courtyard had changed. Alamans, Kurds, and Tar- tars were lying on their sides behind the ramparts, mostly to the west. Others stood COMICLO© S C©