The Eye of Zeitoon

dge men by the

ing oath, nor

mitered liar

ow they lie, an

nd without the

romise hides

in overalls an

uemen and the

ick of blazo

ns and there com

hoose one path to

men when they fa

ing house behind, and a whole horizon lit with the rolling glow of murdered villages, let it be writt

may not be apparent for days or weeks, and I reckon our mental change from being merely hunters of an ancient castle and big game-tourists-trippers, from that hour. A

the Zeitoonli had looted the owner of the kahveh's cows and oxen along with their own beasts and were driving them helte

at penetrated through the drum of hoofs brought them to a walk, but they kept Maga in front with them, screened from our view until morning by a close line of mounted women and a group of men. Th

k along which we had so far come and entered a ravine leading toward Marash. Fred was asleep on horseback, supported between Will and me and snorin

at tossed themselves in ever-increasing grandeur up toward the mist-draped heights of Kara Dagh. Oftener than not our track was obviously watercourse, although now and then we breasted higher levels from which we could see, throu

our party was too numerous and well-armed to need worry on that account. Monty and Kagig drew ahead, quit

need is break

he stirrups on the top of every rise his horse negotiated ever since the sun rose. It certainly was

comfort, yawning with the conscious luxury of having slept. "I don't see Rustum Khan. Let's hope it'

eck and they wrestled, to their horses' infinite disgust, panting and straining mightily in the effort to unseat each other. It was natural that Will should have the best of it, he being about fifteen years younger as well as unweakened by malari

te ease. Her black hair streamed out in the wind, and what with the dew on it and the slanting sun-rays she seemed to be wearing all the gorgeous jewels out of Ali Baba's cave.

lion straight at us-burst between Fred and me-beat Fred savagely across the face with her sap-softened branch-and wheeled on her beast's haunches to make much of Will. He laughed at her, and tried to ta

ghed Fred, spitting out red b

emed in no hurry to follow farther, but drew rein between us and saluted with the semi-military

e's neck. "I saw her ride away alone an hour before you reached that fork in the road and turned up this watercourse. 'By the teet

in theory without caste and not to be defiled by European touch, but the practises of most folk fall behind their professions. A hundred yards ahead

see, Rustum Kh

might have heard. The noise of her own clumsy stallion prevented her from hearing the lighter footfalls of my mare, and by that I made sure she wa

el

had been following emerged out of dense bushes, and dismounted. From behind the bushes I watched, and presently I, too, dismounted to hold my

ed her three swift questions, bitten off like the snap of a closing snuff-b

track through the bushes. I went to where she had been, and examined the ground where she had made her signals. As I say, my eyes are good, but hers are better. I

over Maga's head, and the girl was growing angry. Rustum Khan wa

r two, and so it happened that I gained on the woman; and I suppose she heard me. Whether or no, she waited in ambush, and sprang out at me as I passed so suddenly that I know not what god of fools and drunkards preserved her f

not too late yet in Maga's judgment to try to convert him. She was speaking ve

ly to me, and I wondered what he was driving at. He is always observant behind that superficial a

cigarette I had given him

an has no

know?" dem

rsed her! Then she ask

did yo

her lover, and would know him a

she say

with leave to live for one whole week and an extra hour in which to pray to the devil--meaning, I suppose, that she intends to kill me otherwise.

re in your assertion t

dem

t said it t

should she wan

, who made

w, singing stream at which Kagig ordered a halt to water horses. So we closed

loria Vanderman and a party of seven were attacked on the road, but escaped, and

ty's eyes, and his

now, sirdar?"

woman

emy. As he spoke she made a significant gesture with a fin

nt?" demanded

gh she pawed the ground at a place where eight

ognizing truth-a

aga did know shame, at any rate she d

e were eight horses. They were gall

t any symptom of an

ills up yonder," he said, "in which

would go and find out, and

t that one go, and that on

"that it's out of the question for us to g

bowed

at Zeitoon,

in shrilly, po

age!" she advised. "Bri

rest will

ked grave

e and comfort on my head, but I need a hostage for my nation's sake. You others-I admit the urgency-shall hunt the missionary la

fire at the back of Monty's eyes and someth

" announced Rustum Khan. "That gi

nt for the lady

ood on my head! I go with thee-int

nty. "There is no disputing Kagig

ind Miss Vander

lose you. Who has not seen how a cow will follow the calf in a wagon? So in your case, if I hold the one-the chief one-the noble one-the lord-the cousin of the Eenglis king" (Monty's ra

iled ben

. Why labor the poin

come with me." Kagig

ent. "One hostage is e

with my frie

, and we fou

w the signs, "what special qu

has me in keeping. That will serve all practical purposes. What you three must do is find Miss Vanderman if y

idums, you're drunk. Whe

could out-trump our best one, and he k

and drag her to Zeitoon at Kagig's tail, when Tarsus is not more than three days' ri

d Fred, "the Turks 'ud

man he

dreds from Kaisarich way. He says they'll arrive too late to loot the cities, but they're experts a

he promised to make you Duke of Zeitoon?" asked Will. "Tisn't

tter way,"

The proposal was

for the rescue work. Certainly we could not leave a lady unprotected in these hills, with the threat of plunde

t a watch like a big brass turnip and shakin

o me all along the road, and I don't believe he bases much reliance on his men. He counts more on holding me as hostage and so obliging the Turkish government to call off its

a knowledge of English scarcely perfect but astonishingly comprehensive, which she had chosen to keep to herself when we first met-a regular g

each other! This is my friend." He pointed to Monty. "If ha

her loose coils o

o my Colonel sahib that Umm Kulsum shall be first to die. The women sh

that?" dem

, and swore in som

an,-she pointed to Will, and her eyes blazed with lawless pleasure in his evident discomfort-"I myself-me-this woman-I alone will keel-keel-keel-torture first a

Maga's threats-not even aware that she had spoken, although she wa

fleed-has fled-has flown

nting at Will, but obviously well aware t

ervant. No, no more. No, the ammunition in your pockets must suffice. Yes, I know the remainder is yo