Adventure Magazine, April 10, 1924 — page 44: what you’re looking at

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

42 Adventure did not realize that he was the man in question. Osman for once looked utterly astonished, but the mullah seemed satisfied. When he stood under the elephant Robert saw that the lines of fatigue and worry were strongly marked in Muhammad’s broad face, and that he was too restless to keep still for long. “Will you swear, O Nazarene,” the mullah asked, “‘to serve the Shah in this thing and to give your utmost to the defense of the city?” The knight looked up silently at the man in the howdah, who turned impatiently on the officers below. ' “What is this? We have escorted this warrior from Syria, and you have failed to give him sword or armor or horse. A robe of honor for his shoulders, and do you choose a horse from the best.” Several of the zmams hurried off to obey, and Robert saw Abdullah smile. Osman was chewing at a strand of his mustache, his brow unruffled but his eyes dark with anger that heightened when Muhammad loosened the’ signet ring on his finger and tossed it down to one of the mounted ameers, who pressed it to his forehead and extended it to the knight. “Do you swear allegiance, Nazarene?” cried the mullah again. “Tell me first,” Robert answered slowly, “what authority goes with the ring?” The keeper of the mosque opened wide his eyes; and Muhammad, listening, started as if he had set his hand on a scorpion. “Power of life and death! Bukhara is in the hands of its garrison, and you are the leader of the garrison. My favor is ac- corded you.” The knight faced Muhammad, and per- haps he was the calmest man of them all because he was skeptical. | “OQ king, I have heard. What then of Osman? Can there be two moons in the same night? Is my word to be obeyed over his?” “Boldly have you spoken, O ameer.”’ Muhammad did not seem displeased this time, and he gave the knight the Moslem title. “Vah khawand, the men of the garrison will obey your commands; a firman, a decree, shall be written for their leaders to see. The good wazir has authority in mat- ters of the treasury.” He glanced restlessly at the tall crusader. “Tt has been dinned into my ears by my councilors that you are the one man who can defend the wall of Bokhara. Give me your pledge that you will do so!” “Speak, fool,’’ whispered Abdullah, rein- ing his horse nearer Robert. “First,” observed the knight, “do you pledge me safety from harm for three persons.” “Allah, what are they?” “The Nazarene damsel carried from Palestine by Inalzig Khan and her com- panion the archer, and’ Robert turned to the mullah—‘“‘the priest Evagrius.” “They are yours.” Robert bent his head. “O king, there be many witnesses to that promise. And to mine. I swear that I will do my utmost to hold Bokhara for you against your foes.”’ “You have my leave to withdraw.” The man in the howdah turned to speak to the mullah, when a rider passed forward from the rear and rose in his stirrups to ex- change a quick word with Muhammad—a word of warning, Robert thought. The Shah uttered a sharp command, the mahout tugged at the elephant’s neck with his hook and the great beast swayed into a walk, then broke into a long shamble, followed by the others. The Bokharians were forced to scramble aside, out of the way, and a disorderly horde of infantry flooded the square, push- ing after the elephants. The throng on the housetops and about the mosque knew by now—for tidings travel swiftly in a Moslem crowd—that the Shah was minded to leave the city with the troops that attended his person, and that he had appointed a cap- tive, an infidel, to take command of the garrison. Even now the crowd, fatalisis without the power of acting on their own initiative, made no protest at the departure of their Shah. As the glittering elephant swept by, the throngs prostrated them- selves; and something like silence settled on the square, where a dozen officers stood about Robert, who was staring at the ring in his palm. Osman was the first to move forward. “Salaam, yah khawand. We have heard the word of the lord of Khar, and there is naught but obedience in our hearts. Com- mand, and my men obey.” The mullah came next, followed by the nobles, who bore a shirt of silvered chain COMICLOOCkKS. GO 5}