Adventure, February 20, 1922 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

oe I2 , Adventure opposite direction. They seemed to have forgotten about Ali Baba ben Hamza in the jail. “That gives: us eight hours’ breathing space at all events,” de Crespigny laughed when we rejoined him in the room down- stairs. ‘‘Next question is what to do with it. Ill interview the head-men presently and use strong language, but what after that?” “Stage a side-show,”’ Grim answered. - “Easy to say, but what? How?” ‘Suppose we call that my end?” Grim suggested. “All right, sir. That’ll suit me.” De Crespigny turned to Jones. ‘“‘How’s the jaw now? I think perhaps you’d better show yourself in the city. Walk about the place and show | them we're not panicky; SOUTHERN PALE STINE / . SCALE 7 ; é..... ~ it’ll do our policemen as much good as any one to see we’re cool and on the job. How many men are on guard outside the jail?” “Three.” “Take one away. Tell the other two they’re such fine felléws that two’s plenty. Let the third man walk through the streets behind you, it’ll do his guts good. T’ll stroll about too, after I’ve seen the head-men. Meet here for dinner, eh? Leave you to - your own devices, I suppose?’ he added, smiling cheerfully at Grim. “Yes. I shall visit the jail first. So a Zi RE : Cohen heaved a huge sigh as de Crespigny ‘and Jones walked out. “Eight hours, eh? Well, that’s some- thing! But why, if two o’ them knifers can go to Jerusalem on camels, can’t some other feller go and ask for troops? What this place needs is Sikhs—lots of ’em, with the corks off the end o’ their bayonets! Why not indent for a regiment quick an’ lively?” “Because,” Grim answered slowly, “they’ve plenty to worry them just now in Jerusalem without our adding to it. The troops at Ludd are being held in readiness ~ to go elsewhere and all the men in Jerusalem are hardly enough to keep order. If we can’t handle this without the Sikhs, we're ‘it,’ that’s all.” ‘And you’re going out? And him? He going with you? I’m to sit alone in this place? What d’you take me for?” ce A man.”’ “Say; I'll go with you to the jail!” “Uh-uh! Jews indoors just now! If the Arabs were to fall foul of you and draw blood, there’d be no stopping them. Sit here and read. You'll be all right.” I felt strong sympathy for Cohen. Per- haps what Grim had said of him while we were on the way had something to do with that, but I think I would have liked him in any case, not being one of those unfortu- nates so: prejudiced that they loathe Jews simply because there was once a man named — Judas. There were and are others. Grim was obviously working him thoughtfully, no doubt in order to bring to the top the particular quality or mood he then had use for—that being Grim’s way. I have never known him try to convert a man, or waste much time on futile argu- ment; so far as I have been able to analyze Grim’s method from close study of it, I should say he accepts the world exactly as he finds it and then looks keenly for some- thing he can use. He invariably seems to find it somewhere in the heap, although not by any means always on top. “Doin’ things is easy,’” Cohen grumbled. “Sittin’ still expectin’ things to happen is what eats you.” ‘“All the same, sit here,” Grim answered. “There'll be plenty for you to do presently. We shall need the use of your wits and all your pluck. Out in the street they’d very likely kill you and I’ve never seen a dead man’s brains real active. I’m off to get your watch.” | “Shucks! Let ’em keep it! startin’ more trouble!’ “Did you ever see a forest fire in the States checked by setting another one?’ Don’t get / ar = comicbooks cou a ee = ‘i ~~