Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 125: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER XXII. “y WILL TELL WHAT I KNow!” clapped his hands together. ‘°° Now W HEN the two had gone Kassim search for then, for the ordeal, the truth,” he declared. : Hot wood ashes were poured into the nosebag, and, protesting, cursing, strug- gling, the powerful Bagree was dragged to the center of the room. “ Who sent thee to murder Amir Khan?” “ Before Bhowanee, prince, him!” At a wave of Kassim’s hand upward the bag of ashes was clapped over the decoit’s head, and he was pounded on the back to make him breathe in the deadly dust. Then I did not kill the bag was taken off, and gasping, reeling, . he was commanded to speak the truth. Once Kassim said: ‘“‘ Dog, this is but gentle means; torches will be bound to thy fingers and lighted. The last thing that will re- main to thee will be thy tongue, for we have need of that to utter the truth.” Three times the nosebag was applied to Hunsa, like the black cap over the head of a condemned murderer, and the last time, rolling on the floor in agony, his lungs on fire, his throat choked, his eyes seared like hot coals, he gasped that he would confess if his life were spared. Dog!’ Kassim snarled. ‘ Thy life is forfeit, but the torture will cease; it is re- ward enough—speak!”’ But the Bagree had the obstinate cour- age of a bulldog; the nerves of his giant physical structure were scarce more vibrant than those of a bull; as to the torture it was but a question of a slower death. But his life was something to bargain for. Half dead from the choking of his lungs, with an animal cunning he thought of this. It was the one dominant idea in his numbed brain. As he lay, his mighty chest pumping its short, staccato gasps, Commander Kassim said, “ Bring the dog of an infidel water that he may tell the truth.” “a q > fal - tell what I know.” Tell it, dog,- then die in F answered, ‘‘ Bhowanee help me, I wil tell. If I die, I die with my spirit cas thy shrine.” 7 Kassim stamped his foot in rage; and a jamadar roared: * Tie the torches to the infidel’s fingers; we will have the truth.” Half a dozen Pindaris darted forward, and poised in waiting for the command to bind to the fingers of the Bagree oil-soaked torches. But Kassim waved them back, and stood, his brow wrinkled in pondering, his black eyes sullenly fixed on the face of the Bagree. Then he said: “ What this dog knows is of more value to our whole people, considering the message that has been brought, than his worthless life that is but the life of a swine.” He took a turn pacing the marble floor, and with his eyes called a jamadar to one side. ‘‘ These thugs, when they cast them- selves in the protection of Kali, die like fanatics, and this one 1s but an animal. Tor- ture will not bring the truth. Mark you, jamadar, I will make the compact with him. Do not lead an objection, but trust me.” “ But the dead chief, commander—” Yes, because of him; he loved his peo- ple. And the knowledge that yon dog has he would not have sacrificed.” “ But is Amir Khan to be unavenged?” the jamadar queried. ‘‘ Allah will punish yonder infidel for the killing of one of the true faith. Go and summon the officers from below and we will decide upon this.” Soon a dozen officers were in the room, and the sowars were sent away. Then Kas- sim explained the situation, saying: “A confession brought forth by torture is often — a lie, the concoction of a mind crazed bj pain. If this dog, who has more cou than feeling, sees the chance of his J: will tell us the truth.” ” But th ing_ th Ue nea Sieeecomicbooks.com