Adventure Magazine Cover — page 93: what you’re looking at

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

A Son of Strife ushered into a room where a number of merchants and pilgrims sat at supper, “‘we will have private quarters, Messer Taverner, and the best food your kitchen can supply. Haste!” The inn-keeper eyed them a trifle dubi- ously, now that the strong light indoors showed up their threadbare raiment and rusted mail. He rubbed his hands together. “At once, at once, if it pleases you,” he mumbled. “But first there is iS “St. Barnabas be my champion! Is this the way to accost soldiers of the Holy Sepulcher?”’ roared Ali, striding to the front. ‘““Must my lord ask twice? Nay, I will usher him, myself, if you in this place have no manners.”’ He bowed before Matteo gravely. “This way, lord, prithee, follow me,” he urged. “Later, I will take pains to drill reverence into these knaves. I am over- come, lord, that : The inn-keeper wrung his hands. “Oh, be not so out of temper, lord, I pray!” he begged. “All shall be as you Indeed, I have never before this desire. had the pleasure of serving your magnifi- cence. But you shall have everything you desire. A chamber is being prepared. If you will 2 Wee AN HOUR later Matteo and Ali re- ese clined at their ease in a spacious up- per room with a well-spread board before them. They ate and drank like men who had been days at sea on sea rations, like men who had begun to believe they might not eat heartily again. “This is better than the patrono’s sour wine,” gurgled Ali. ‘‘And this capon Is tastier than his stringy goat meat,’ answered Matteo with his mouth full. ‘“A day of such fare,’’ continued Ali re- flectively, ‘‘and you will not be chary of setting upon that churlish merchant, lord.” A knock sounded on the door. Matteo caught up his sword and laid it across his knee. Ali did likewise. ‘“‘Mayhap we are now to be set upon, ourselves,’”? quoth Matteo. ‘Come in.”’ The door opened, and Messer Gambaglio entered. The Genoese looked over his shoulder, peered about the room to make sure they were alone, shut the door cauti- ously and sped to Matteo’s side. 85 “Why did you not tell me, lord?” he stammered, sinking to his knees: ‘Was it a test?”’ ‘A test?’ repeated Matteo, puzzled. ‘What test?” “Nay, lord, you may trust me. A mer- chant who was on board the Pisan galley with you hath told me how Maimonades of the Bloody Hand gave ground before your boy’s face. The merchant marveled at it, lord, for he did not know, as you and I know, that Maimonades is a servant of the sign.” ‘What sign?’? demanded Matteo. Then he bethought himself, and fumbled in his pouch for the Assassin’s ring. He held it out, and Messer Gambaglio crouched for- ward with a shiver and pressed the beryl to his forehead. “You did not need to test me, lord,’’ he wailed. “I am as faithful as any who serve Sinan. Why did you not show it to me at once?” Ali lay back in his seat goggling with open eyes at the amazing spectacle of an elderly hard-faced merchant, richly garbed, bowing down in worship before a tarnished silver ring. Matteo controled his surprize. After the adventure with the pirate he was pre- pared for anything. “T did not think it necessary,” he an- swered. ‘So you know the signet of the Old Man of the Mountain?” “T am of the circle of his agents,” re- turned the merchant in a low voice. “Was the pirate captain—Maimonades, you called him—also?”’ “Surely, lord.” “Do you know a man named Kafur?”’ “Aye, lord. He passed this way a few weeks since. Now, I think of it, he had a mission close by Nerak.”’ “T met him,” answered Matteo. “Tf I had but known this!”’ exclaimed the Genoese, wringing his hands. ‘“‘Had you but told me in the first place you could have had whatever you sought.”’ “Even to the moneys of my father?” “Certes, lordling,’ answered Messer Gambaglio in open amazement. ‘Why not? But prithee tell me: Is he in sooth your father?” Matteo smiled. Here was an amazing contradiction. But a moment since this man had refused to give up to him what he had claimed was rightfully his. Now, sim- ply because he wore a certain ring, he could C@ DOOLK S (© iin