Adventure Magazine, April 10, 1924 — page 34: what you’re looking at

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

32 | Adventure thighs under the mail. Inalzig’s eyes glared into his, blood-seared and protruding. The knife-blade slipped upward on the Moslem’s thigh-bone, and the curved point caught within his ribs. * His grip on Robert’s throat fell away, and the knight gasped for air and felt himself drop through space. Instantly the torch- light faded, and he crashed into water, still locked with his adversary. Blackness grew denser, and then red flames shot up before his eyes and his nostrils. stung. Blood flooded his throat. He coughed—found that he could gulp in air—and moved his limbs feebly to keep afloat. For what seemed an interminable time he swam in a gigantic chasm, conscious of lights above him and—once—of Abdul- lah, the minstrel, looking down at him calm- ly. Then water splashed over his face, and the blackness was complete. CHAPTER VII OSMAN THE WAZIR 14 Beebe things appeared to Robert to take place very rapidly. He felt de- lightfully at ease, although aware that his body was being jolted, the creaking of leather and the jolting made him think he was riding again, though how he could ride lying down he knew not. Then the sun smote full into his eyes, and somebody shaded them. Robert peered out between two curtains and saw the green expanse of a wide sea with a sail drifting along the horizon. A salty wind caused him to shiver violently, and, still shivering, he dropped back into the inertia. Again he found himself studying the stars, looking for the Great Bear and recalling that Abdullah had called it jitti karatchi, the Seven Robbers. He could not make out the robbers, and told himself that this was a strange sky as well as a strange sea. Once he lay on his elbow, looking down at the earth. It was whitish gray. Taking up some in his fingers, he put his tongue to it and found it to be salt. A strange earth. Ile was bathed. in sweat, and a woman came and wiped his face and hands with a cool, moist cloth. He began talking to the woman, telling her about the changed earth and the re- markable sea that was so cold and so hot. By and by he noticed that the woman was weeping and that she was the Demoiselle d’Ibelin. Henceforth events happened less swiftly and Robert grew irritable with pain, but more often he felt the girl’s touch and drank things from. her hand. “Where is that rogue, Abdullah?” he asked, his voice ringing clear. “He is not here, my lord. Nay, I have not see him since the night in the mountains when he talked: with the infidels, and— But, hush, please you, Sir Robert.” “Damoiselle,”’ he remarked with dignity. “T am not Sir Robert of Antioch. I am Robert the Wayfarer; and as every man’s hand is against me, so 1s mine against every man. Where is the lout, Will?” “The archer is chained—nay, do not mis- call him, for he jumped into the gorge and saved you your life many days ago.” ‘Now that is verily a lie,” Robert re- sponded angrily, “for this is but the morrow of that night.” With that he slept, to awaken master of his senses again. They were in a boat—he and the maid and the priest, and-a score of strange war- riors. He lay upon a cloak stretched on - rushes; with a woven screen over his head. His first: thought was for his sword. It was gone, and he reflected that his horse, also, was lost to him. Then he fumbled about for the chain of rubies and found it not. The mail shirt had been removed, and he was clad in loose cotton, with a light khalat wrapped over him, ' When he moved, one shoulder irked him with its stiffness. Further investigation re- vealed a stubby beard and mustache and a growth of hair on his skull that had been shaven. After considering this he asked Father Evagrius, who sat quietly beside his couch, how long he: had lain ill, and how he came to be brought alive through the Gates. “For ten days the fever was heavy upon you, my son. The maid prayed that you would regain your wit and strength, and her prayers were heard. I could not see what befel in the mountain pass, yet me- seems Abdullah did persuade the guards to send you living to the lord of this land.” ‘Did we pass the border of a sea?” “‘Aye, Sir Robert. A week agone I heard the wash of the waves for the last time. Since then we have been placed on camels, and yesterday within this long skiff.” Robert thought: this over. They must then have left the Caspian behind them, COMICLOOCKKS. GO S|