Adventure Magazine Cover, October 30, 1924 — page 123: what you’re looking at

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

Om 113 shop, and I after him with both arms full, and the Jew after me because of the blan- kets and what not else. ‘‘And lo, there was a cart outside having four wheels and sides like the shutters of a te-rain, only not made to slide up and down. And the door was at the rear. And there- into he led the dog, she following the socks, and I after both of them to bring the dog back. And lo, no sooner was I within the cart—not more than my head and shoulders were within it—than two men like this one, only bigger, seized me and wrapped me in my own blankets and bound me fast, taking my knife. ‘‘So they brought me to this place, where they dragged me into that room yonder and released me, returning my knife to me and saying such was your order. And if they had not returned my knife I would have fought them; but as they did return it and said it was your order, and as the dog appeared satisfied, because they threw the socks to her to guard, it seemed to me there might be something in it after all. Did you give such an order? Or shall I slay these men?” | “Have you been here before?’ asked ~Ommony. “Oh, yes; two or three times. This is not a bad place, and there is lots to eat, well buttered, with plenty of onions. This is a place where they think the Lama Tsiang Samdup is of more importance than a belly- ful. But they eat notwithstanding—thrice daily—and much. But tell me: Did you give such an order—to have me brought to this place?” Ommony had a flash of inspiration. “The man mistook the order,’ he an- swered. Maitraya was listening; he did not want to take Maitraya into confidence. “T will tell you later what I intend to do about it. Meanwhile keep silence, keep close to the dog, and keep an eye on me.” But Maitraya was growing more than curious, although he did not understand the Prakrit dialect that Dawa Tsering used. “What is a Bhat-Brahman doing with such a servant?”he asked, stroking his chin and cocking his head to one side like a parrot that sees sugar. To have attempted explanations would only have involved Ommony in statements still more unexplainable; he fell back on the excuse that Benjamin invented: _ You were told. He attends to my little affairs of the heart. Isn’t the real puzzle, what is he doing with such a master? Why are we standing here? The sun _ over- powers me.” Maitraya led the way-toward the room whence the voices emerged; and the Tibe- tan, seeing they knew where to go, took himself off in the opposite direction. Ex- cepting Dawa Tsering there were no armed men in evidence; the double gate that opened on the alley was barred, but there was no padlock on the bars, and no guard; it looked as if escape, if once determined on, would be simple enough. If the place was a prison its system for detaining prisoners was extremely artfully concealed; there did not appear to be even the sort of passive vigilance employed in monasteries. Maitraya crossed the cloister, opened a door near the window whence the voices came, kicked it so that it swung inward with a bang against the wall and made an effec- tive stage entry into a dim, enormous room. There was a long row of slippers on the threshold, and he kicked those aside to make room for his own with a leg-gesture that was quite good histrionics. He pro- posed to be king in his own realm; that was clear enough. Six men, three women and two boys, who had been sitting with their backs against a wall, stood up to greet him. They were a rather sorry-looking group, dowdy and travel-worn, without an expensive garment or a really clean turban among them; but that was another form of histrionics; there were bundles on the floor containing finery they did not choose to show yet, lest the sight of it might prevent their paymaster, for his own pride’s sake, from fitting them out with new, clean clothing. Maitraya looked disgusted. He knew that ancient method of extortion and as- sessed it for what it was worth. “Such a rabble! Such a band of mendi- cants!”’ he exclaimed. “I am ashamed to present you to his honor the learned Brah- man Gupta Rao, who will play leading parts in our company! He will think it is a company of street sweepers!”’ They bowed to Ommony, murmuring ‘“Pranam,’ and he blessed them _per- functorily, surveying them with one all- comprehending, scornful glance and then turning his back to order Dawa Tsering to close the door. It was more important ai the moment to examine the room carefully cComicbooks.c© in