Adventure Magazine Cover — page 128: what you’re looking at

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

ae to me, ntiarilinbbemdiag my distrust of Jani Beg. Sir Weyand and my lord would be alone with Jani Beg and the Rajput. If swords should, by chance, be drawn the _ odds would be even and I should not be far distant. Men have said I am an ex- cellent hand with the scimitar. Likewise, there was the honor of Raja Man Singh, who would not draw the first sword, al- : though in a quarrel he would be forced to side with Jani Beg. As for Said Afzel, he could not lift a weapon. any A' CHANGE had come upon Sir Wey- Pyewe and. He fell moody and he seemed om to avoid [Shirzad Mir and me. ___ Bihor Jan reported that he talked long and «quietly with Krishna Taya and at other times walked by himself on the ramparts. _. This was not wonted, for, when himself, the ferang was a merry man, although not ork Fe fond of words. Once I asked him if the ____ devil of illness had gripped him. 23g “JT know not what devil it is, Abdul Dost,” he made reply. “There is a mat- = ter lies heavily on my mind. It is not al- - ways easy to settle what is right and what is wrong.” He spoke with seeming frankness, yet the words had a strange ring. He turned on me suddenly. Se. “Ts it true, Abdul. Dost, that Jani Beg ae ages to give me a safe conduct to Ja- I Saati. for how could the news have come to him? “The words of Jani Beg are false as a -wolf’s whine,” I replied after thinking up- on the matter. “If he made an offer, he did not mean to keep it. When Shirzad Mir gives his pledge of friendship, he will abide by it.” “TI doubt it not!” he muttered. “It is long since I came to India, yet I am no nearer the ear of Jahangir than at first. I can not forget my mission " He broke off and walked away. There came Bihor Jan, on the ferang’s footsteps, and whispered to me in passing. “Rose Face is beloved.” “Ho!” I was surprized ‘The ferang?” “T know not. I have watched Said Af- zel. The poet’s eyes follow the girl when She walks by and there is a gleam in them. _ He plays to her on a guitar, lying at her side, and strokes the pearls of the necklace she Sais Sir Weyand likes it not. Why . . : ~~ ie ae ee <- — a oe _ — =~ ~ — ~~ - - os = 5 - SS a _ - ” Sree ey ve hy, Po ; RS se Ay BA ; vet Se ae OP Zr E a ee ety — = a Fee a SES Fe, SS SS ee a nn eS z at, ~~ eee a% “Adventure ( should he waste thought on the woman?” Perhaps Bihor Jan would have liked the necklace of pearls for himself. For many hours I considered the matter.. The ferang had known of the offer of Jani Beg, yet neither Shirzad Mir nor I had spoken of it. God has strengthened the walls of Khan- jut. I did not think any spy of the Uz- beks had climbed within them, so the thought came to me that some one had known the offer was to be made. Per- haps Said Afzel, perhaps Krishna Taya and perhaps Sir Weyand. Here was a horse that would require grooming. I went to Sir Weyand and spoke what was on my mind. How was I to know that I blundered? “The girl distresses you, Sir Weyand,” I said bluntly. “Why not give her to Said Afzel? ‘Then she will have a master. It is true that you do not desire a slave?” “Death’s life, Abdul Dost!” he swore. “Tt is true.” He fell silent. “That might be best. Krishna Taya must be cared for. I think Said Afzel is fond of her. She is no more than a child.” I did not smile. So it came to pass that Krishna Taya consented to serve Said Afzel. She gath- ered up her belongings in a bundle and ~ went to the dwelling of the Uzbek prince. Yet that night I found Sir Weyand walk- ing moodily the length of her room, which was now empty as a year-old nightingale’ s nest. I think it was the first time he had been there. The room smelled of attar of rose, after the manner of a woman’s apartment. I did not speak to him, for his face was not pleasant. Nevertheless, I considered it was well. Now that Krishna Taya was with the Uz- bek, she would not bother Sir Weyand— nor would it be so easy for her to talk with I kept thinking of the meeting with Jani Beg which was to take place the next day. There seemed to be no danger. The plain before the castle was bare and no fol- lowers of the Uzbeks could approach the spot without “being seen from the battle- ments. Since I was old enough to shoot an arrow at a stag, it was my task to safe- guard the person of Shirzad Mir. I wearied my brains upon the matter of the meeting— without. result. God had willed that I should not foresee what was to come to ~ pass. oes a ne — ae ——— Rees = ~~ F 2S Me