Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 120: what you’re looking at

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

_~ I looked for you when I returned from above,” the guard answered, “ but you had _ gone. The Afghan has gone but a little _ since——-stay you here.” | He called within, “‘ Yacoub!” It was the orderly who had conducted Barlow to Amir Khan who answered, and to him the guard said: “Go to the chief’s apartment and say that one waits here with word from the favorite.” Hunsa sat down nonchalantly upon a marble step, and drew the guard into a talk of raids, explaining that he had ridden once upon a time with Chitu, on his foray into the territory of the Nizam. CHAPTER XXII. THEY BRING THE AFGHAN! | YUNSA had come back to the palace mn | haste so that the murder of Amir Khan might be discovered soon after Captain Barlow had left, and that the crime might be fastened upon the sa/ib. As he waited, chatting to the guard, there was suddenly a frenzied, deep-throated calf of alarm from the upper level of rooms that Was answered by other voices here and there crying out; there was a hurrying scuffling of feet on the marble stairs, and Yacoub appeared, his eyes wide in fright, crying: “The chief has been stabbed! He's dead! He’s murdered! Guard the door— let no one out—let no one in!” ‘*Beat the makarea,” the guard com- - manded. “ Raise the alarm!” He seized his long-barreled matchlock, w on the fuse, and pointing up toward e moonlit sky, fired. Just within, in a court, Yacoub, with heavy drum was pounding from the huge drum nderous vibrant roar, and somebody d seized a born, and pat a strident shriek of ' 3 as IO J one surging ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. A powerful, whiskered bis way through the mob, throwing men to the right and left with sweeps of his arm, and, reaching the guard. was told that Amir Khan lay up in his room, murdered Then an kezari (commander of five thou. sand) came running and pushed the throng that the full force of the tragedy held almost silent. . The guard saluted, Saying: “ mander Kassim, the chief = been oad “ How—who?” ‘““T know not, commander.” ‘“Who has passed the guard here?” ‘But one, the Afghan, who was ex- pected by the chief, He went forth but lately.” “A Patan!” Kassim roared. “ Trust a woman and a snake, but not a Patan.” He turned to the whiskered jamadar: “ Quick, go you with men and bring the Afghan.” To another he said: “Command to enter from there ”—his hand swept the mob in front—“‘ a dozen trusty sowars and flood the palace with them. Up, up, every room, every nook, every place of hiding; under everything, and above everything, and through everything, search. Not even let there be exemption of the seraglio—mur- der lurks close to women at all times. Seize every servant that is within and bind him: let none escape.” He swept a hand out toward the Pin- daris in the street that were like a pack of wolves. ‘‘ Up the hill—surround the pal- ace! And guard every window and rat- run!” The guard saluted, venturing: ‘“ Com- mander, none could have entered from out- side to do the foul deed.” “Liar! Lazy sleeper!” He smashed with his foot the hookah that sat on the marble floor, its long stem coiled like a snake. ‘While you busied over such, and opium, one has slipped by.” He reached out a powerful hand and seized the shoulder of a Pindari and jerked him to the step, commanding: “ Stay here with this monkey of the tall trees, and see that none pass. J go to the chief. Valen the Afghan comes have bim brought up.” ay. _— : 7 ‘ eq nitner ana ~ comicbooks.com