Adventure Magazine Cover — page 123: what you’re looking at

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

“Sie _ they were like those of a snake. <- : : = mae eee | heron Sintar on the turban. ‘His olive face was red and he breathed heavily, while his slant eyes were glazed. They looked at me but seemed to see not. Truly A snake that smelled of musk and attar of rose. “Peace be unto you, my lord!” I greet- ed Shirzad Mir, and sat. ‘I do not seek the wine.” “A lie!” cried Sir Weyand jovially, shak- ing his yellow head. ‘‘Come, let me fill your bowl, Abdul Dost.” But I would not, as it would put me in the wrong. Then there’ came a soldier from the gate. “A message comes for the lord ferang,” he said, after his salaam. We saw coming toward us under the trees a fat eunuch leading a slim girl by the wrist, and after them a white horse. of. excellent breed. The saddle cloths were silk and there were jewels in the peak of the saddle. A sim- itar with gold hilt and some rich stuffs ~were on the saddle. I stared and Sir Wey- and sat up and looked at this curiously. The eunuch dropped to his knees and made the triple salaam, beating his head against the ground. The girl, who was veiled, fell also to her knees. “What means this?’ asked [Shirzad Mir in surprize. “It is a small, a very small gift from the treasury of Jani Beg, O lord of Badakshan and descendant of illustrious ancestors, O most munificent Shirzad Mohammed el Baber Hazret Mir,” whined the eunuch. “Hol? muttered my master, who was not slow of wit. “Jani Beg sends me a horse and sword that I may mount and fight him, Then I will send back a silk rug of Persia and a spindle, for he seems more in- clined to sit ina corner than to fight——” “Thrice blessed, pardon!” the eunuch chattered. “The gift is for the ferang. It is for the illustrious stranger in our country Jani Beg does not wish to be thought an ungenerous foe.” “For me!” Sir Weyand looked from the eunuch to the girl and then to the horse. “Aye, may it be pleasant in the sight of your nobleness! Truly, the woman is of the Rajputs and surpassingly fair. I have ~ guarded her with zeal: There is not a blemish on her——” “Please!” Sir Weyand’s cheeks became red. Shir- = zad Mir et to sere a5 iis vas een , ar =n a So i - Neate ee ee a NP ee — si. chuckled. Khanjut, he sends you a slave.” I did not laugh, considering what this | might mean. The eunuch plucked the veil from the woman ’S face, enough to show her beauty. “Tt is a slave,” he boasted. “And such a slave. I will. take good care of her for my lord the ferang:- I like not the service » of Jani Beg.” He ranch sight of Said Afzel and gasped. The poet’s heavy eyes had turned slowly to the girl and he was twisting his thin black beard. ‘The miserable guardian of the harem quivered in fright like a fish caught between two nets. But Sir Weyand looked long into the dark eyes that sought his and fell silent. “She is not ill to look upon,” commented - “Jani Beg is un-. Shirzad Mir gravely. usually thoughtful. I would have said this woman was chosen by Said Afzel, if we had him not prisoner for the last moon. “A royal gift to one who deserves it, lord,” whined the eunuch, who thought this, at least, was safe to say. “And are you also a royal present?” demanded my master quickly: “Nay,” the fat one salaamed. but dirt from a dunghill.” “Do we deserve dirt?” “T am “Nay,” the unhappy man wriggled, fear- ing that his death was near, but voluble after his kind. “I meant that I was but a servant who had come to a garden of paradise from a swine-pen.” “From the Uzbeks?” The merry eyes of Shirzad Mir twinkled. The eunuch lifted his head long enough to see that Said Afzel was listening. “Have mercy, lord! What was in my mind was that your presence has made me blessed, like one who comes from darkness to light. Now that I know the gift of the illustrious Jani Beg has been well re- ceived: “Enough!” Shirzad Mir frowned. He whispered to Sir Weyand that a eunuch was a breeder of trouble. “Get to your feet, O dunghill-that-came- to-the-garden-of-paradise! Abdul Dost, go to the battlements and take up the first bow that comes to hand. This dog may now begin to run out of the gate. Bring — x a ee Se a oe en el I\ “Now that you fcc taken : ae = ee, FS = i | || = 2 7 2 - i © A 1] CEG] OO) @)) <a (