OCR Text |
Show . , Yu Yu'an Yuan ' an Hee flee See SeeLaughs SeeLau Lau LauBy Lauiii Laughs iii Cop"leht Copleht " I ' hT . . . , .hm hm . " . By I Iix ix SAX ; ; ROHMER icE1MER ROHMERWNUs icE1MERWKUBGrvc : WNUs WKUBGrvc , " ' , & -.I .I - . 'II II ' CHAPTER VIII-Continued VIII Continued VIII - Continued VIIIContinued11 -11- 11 - 11Halg 11Haig 11 - Halg Haig mounted the steps nnd and "aIked aIked walked "aIkedalong walkedalong " walkedalong along the uncarpctcd uncarpeted passage , pu1l1ng pulling pu1l1ngthe pullingthe pullingthe the curtain C1lrtnln nslde aside ; he stumbled over overth overthe overthe th the man who sit S'lt Slt s'tt stt ' ' thel theie there e . . . nnd and a ameerschaum ameerschaum meerschaum pipe fell fcU to the floor and andsmashed andsmashed andsm smashed ashed ashed"Inshallah smashed"Inshallah "Inshallah Inshallah " 1 J " " groaned the owner ll'llg llllg fl'tig fltig fl'tigstooped ll'llgstooped Hilgstooped ' ' stooped S\\ S swiftly SIft1y st \ + Ift1y iftly " "Koseir Koseir "Koselr Koselr "Ioseir Ioseir " : by car in in ( nveminutes rte rteminutes e eminutes minutes , " he be whispered "hlspered hlspered " "House House " of Dr.Julian DrJulian Dr . Julian Hessf Hess"OtTer Hess , " f "Offer Offer "OtTer OtTer " " me money ! " came i 'l l ' mumed muffled mumedwhIsper muffledwhisper muffledwhisper whIsper . Halg Haig put bis his hand Into his hispochet hispocket hispocket pochet pocket , v . when hen ; : "Give Give " him no money mone moneyt , } I t ' " caine cunIC came an angry an angry angry gry shriek from trom Bissau H'1ssan H1ssan Hassan ' es isuk yak nk at his hiselbow hiselbow Illselbow elbow . "He He " Is a n lump of mud , n a son sonot sonof sonof ot of filth , . an nn unutterable liar liar ! I ! It "as as was wasa " wasa a . trick ! " trick ! " Cursing ' , opening openln and closing cloclng ; his histalon histalon histalon talon like hands , old tlissin 111ss1n lFiss9n cs es SuI Suk Sukpoured SuLpoured . poured forth fortlI a torrent of w \ Mint \ h'1t h1t h'tt htt ' ' Halg Haig HalgdIvined Haigdivined Halgdivined dIvined to be brilliant brlllian t ln 1m Invective + ecth ectite ( > TheRented The.ented The eated .ented ented Rented . man shrugged resln resignedly resl . : nedli db . HaslaD Hasurn Has laD ! an urn es SuL SuI Suk . pushed IInl Ilnl Ifni . : ? forward for\\ard for ard forarduA forward"A forward"A \ "A A uA " Spytt spy- spy Spytthe spyhe spy - _ " ' he v . whispcied whispered hlspel ed In his ear- ear ear"a ear"a ear ear"a - - "a a " dirty I > police Ollce pig ' Begone-quld.ly Begonequld.ly Begone quld.ly quldly Begone-quickly quickly Begone - - quicklyT . ' " " . . . . . + . . I ; Elleen EIJeen Eileen sat on the thc erl edge p nf of the dls dis dlsordered disordered disordered ordered lacquered hod b(1 b1 bed ( ' iw hci hPI teeth tl.cth tlcth . tight- tight Ught- Ught UghtJy tightly - - . ] ly Jy clenched She had completed COnllllt.ted COnlllltted . an nn ex e"C eC ee exploration " . ploration ploraUon ploratlon of her prison 1 ' There here was n a nlnrge alarge alarge lnrge large . wardrobe v.ardrobe vardrobe In which carefully carefullyhung carefullyhung carefullyhang hung , were the clothes clothps she sbe had WOln worn WOlnIn wornin woinIn In Port Said Snld . There " ms tsas 1S " an e"Ctrava eCtrava eetrava e"Ctravapntly eetravagantlp e\travapantly e travapantly \ " pntly gantlp appointed nppolnt'd nppolntd ( ' bathroom She had hadsucceeded hadsucceeded ucceeded succeeded In recalling recallJng e\ e ecry everything eterything \ cry thing of ofthat ofthat ofthat that dim past out of " which "blch blch whcir ! she had hadawahened hadawakened hadawakened awahened awakened In this preposterous place , , . Dp 'Up Up ' to the very moment monlent of entering the theshop theshop theehop shop of Mohammed MohammedShe MohammedShe MohammedShe She recalled seeing Dawson Halg Haig Halgoutside Haigoutside Haigoutside outside . It was then she accepted the theInvitation theinvitation theInvitation Invitation of ot the aged Arab to explore explorethe explorethe explorethe the treasure house be beyond , ) ond Here her hermemory herSnemory hermemory memory Snemory terminated with witb the recollec recollec- recollection recollection recollection - - tion of a sharp pun piln p1in In her shoulder , . a asickly asickly atickly sickly sweet smell , , and a sense of sud sud- sudden sud- sud sudden sudden - - den " weakness eakness . . . How Hov . long had hadelapsed hadelapsed hadelapsed elapsed since tben thenHer then7 then then7Her ? Her position was desperate . Theflowercoveicd The Theflower 110\\ 110 110er flower \ er co\ co cot coel \ el et ed balcony 0\ 0 of overlooked 0erloot.ed \ erloot.ed erlooted erlooked . a abeautiful abeautiful abeautiful beautiful garden . . . The prospect v w . was as ter- ter terminated terminated ter terminated - minated by a n high white " wall all , like the'Wall thewall the 'Wall Wall ' of an nnclent ancient fortress Some- Some - - thing told her that the ground fell fellaway fellaway . nway away beyond that wall , and that further fur fur- further further - ther beyond set ; et was the sea sen Where Where"as Wherewas Wherewas "as as was " she ? And " where "here here was Dawson DawsonBalg DawsonHaig DawsonHaig Balg Haig ? Had they . , . . ? The door opened , and nnd a stout and andkindly andkindly andkindly kindly looking loohlng French rrench maid came In Inlocking , Jocking locking the tbe door behind hehlDlJ her . Eileen Eileenwas Eileenwa ileen ileenwac wac was . * . breathing very rapidly . , "Mam'selle Mamselle kMam'selle kMamselle " ' is tightened frightened fll htened ; , " ' said thewom'ln thewom'in the womin wom'ln womln wom'in ' ' " "No No " no- no nomeeting no - - " meeting that th.ed thed flied fixedangry . , angry stare-"U stare "U U stare-t t stare - - "It It " ! is no good , cherie cherle Iam I Iam Iam am Celeste , " sheent she went \\ent ent \ \ on , opening the thewardrobe thewardrobe thewardrobe wardrobe and taking tnklng out Eiteen's Eiteens Eileen's Eileens ileen's ileens ' ' suit suitIn suitIn suitin In the most natural manner in theworld theworld the world . . " "You You " have been sick-I sick I sick - I I.now Inow know I.nowthat knowthat . knowthat that sickness sIckness-I sIckness I - I have ha\e ha e hate \ had It It ! t . , " Celeste swiftly glanced up , . high inone In Inone inone one wall to a little lltUe \ wooden \ ooden trap . Itwas Itwas It was closed closedCherte . . - " -Cherte Cherte "CherIe CherIe , " she said , "trust trust "trustme "trustme "trustme trustme " me , I am yoar YOUr friend . . You understand . . , understand.Perhaps understandPerhaps Perhaps I can help . Don't Dont ' answer . " . " She bustled busily Into the b-atbroom b atbroom bathroom batbroom"Come bathroom"Come - bathroom"Come bathroomCome "Come Come " " , mam'selle mamselle ' , " she called callell "You You "Youwlll "Youwill "Youwill Youwill " wlll will be yourself again after your bath . . . " Elleen Eileen walked walhed across to the bath bath- bathroom bathroom . - room thedoor . The frenchwoman i'renchwoman irenchwoman ! ' closed closell the door Ithas as she entered . " "I I " know MOW how It has happened to you , cherie , " came . her cameher voluble " whisper "hlsper hlsper , . " "It It " happened so soI I to BOto soto whenlast me me , , , also . . Where were you when last you remember remember2 ? ' "In In " Port Said , " said Eileen lleen miser miser- miserably miserably miserably - ably , . "Ah Ah "Ahl Ahl " 1 " The Frenchwoman nodded noddedcomprehendlngly noddedcomprehendinglp noddedcomprehendingly comprehendlngly comprehendinglp . , "I I " was at Cairo when whenhe he saw me . . But that was many years yearsago yeanago yearsago ago I ! " " "But But " tell tei me , , please , , . where am 1 I 1now7 Inow ] now7 now ? " "In In " Y Yemen cmen , cherie cherie- cherie cherieA , . - " A large strong strongarm strongarm strongarm arm was slipped maternally about th thgirl's the thegirl's thgirl's thgirls e ( girl's girls ' ' shoulders She was pressed pressedan t tan to toan < an ample breast . . "You You " have courage couragegreat couragegreat . great courage-l courage l courage-I I courage - - I see It In your tace face faceAnd faceAnd . . .And And . now la Is the time for courage courage- courage- courage couragecourage couragenot - - courage not to fight . . " Elleen Eileen began to feel that she ate hadknown badImown had hadknown known this singular woman all nll herlife her herUfe herlfe Ufe life ] . "What What " do you yon mean , Celeste ? ' she he asked . . "What What " Is this tbls place-where place where placewheream place - - wheream am 17 I ? " . "You You " are In Arabia , . , poor baby . Down Downin Downin DownIn in there- there thereshe there - - * " " ' she pointed va vaguely-'Is vaguely 'Is Is vaguely uely-"Is uely "Is Is - - "Is Is " ' alittle a allttle alittle llttle little to\ to town ton \ ' . n that no one ever heard of ofBe ofBeyond ofBeyond Be Beyond , } ond Is the Red fled sea Here beMnus behind beMn\ beMn \ ! us usis usis usis ! is desert-desert-desert-and desert and desert-desert-desert--and desert - - desert - desert - - - and then , . . . .Mecca Mecca . Iecca Mecca ) " belongto "But But " this house ? Who does It belongto belong belongto to ? " "It It " Is the house of or Aswami Aswaml Pasha , " . "But But " I don't dont ' ' know As Asw Aswami " ami Pash Pashi Pash'i t < ' I l ! " " "Once Once " , , It Is nearly ten } icars ears ago , I IdId Idid Idid dId not know I.now Inow . him , cherie cherle He Is rich rlch- rlch rlch"Very rlchvery - very "Very " rich ! ! But Dut come , , cherie &lip lip &llp llp Slip & your yourrobe yourrobe yourrobe robe cunningBut off ofr . This Is tlie the time for cunning But be thankful thanJ.ful thanJful . that I am " with "lth lth you " Elleen Eileen threw one white arm nrm around aroundthe aroundthe aroundthe the Frenchwoman's Frenchwomans ' ' neck This stnngecharacter str'lnge strlnge stringe stringecharacter ' haracter character , with her ber bright , kindly Idndly e ey eveswas es , , was a rock of refuge . . ' Oh , Celeste You are not going to toeac toleave toleave leave ] ea\c ea c \ mei met me ' * ' I shall be In tlie the bedroom , and whenyou when whenyou whenyou you are diesscd dressed dl cssc.d csscd . I 1 will wlll brln bring your our ourluncheon ouiluncheon luncheon yourluncheon ' Celeste hug hugged ed the frightened frl"htened frlhtened " C'lp Clp C'lptl c ' tp tptie tl\ tl tle tie dpthe \ e tSlitlv tightlt ti ? ht " , dnd and m went "cnt cnt " out cloll1 closing ' ) thebathroom the thebathroom thbathroom ( bathroom doorSiiuddcring door doorbliuddcring bliuddcring Siiuddcring huddlrln Elleen Cllecn Eileen dropped thstrin-c thstrin c the thef thestrm.e ( strm.e strme f > tr tne . - _ . rOhe roh roi > u winch which \ l\l.h ll.h l l.h lh \ ( . Ind Ii'd Iid h'1 h1 ' ' en\ en ens enveloped enLiuped \ Liuped doped her her"hen herwhere heiwhen "hen hen where " steppmluto steppedinto oll : aliii ahS n 11 ii td HI ul J\\jk.nctl Jjk.nctl J jk.nctl jknctl .1.L.lOe .twakcned twakcned . .1\\ .1 . \ \ .L.lOe L.lOe LlOe . . ( . ( ) . , and stepped teVLJe iDlo into the 11th I 1 ith th I ; Behind what "hat hat " looked lool ed like I1l.e I1le . the giatln gratin giatlnof gl atln , ; ? of ot aenUlator a ventilator \enUlator enUlator tentllator \ , . high In the bathloom bathroom bathroomwall bathiooinwall and anddisnppeared anddisappeared anddisappeared of light glittered wall \ aU . , two points disnppeared disappeared . Yu'an Yuan ' Hee lIee flee Sec Seo See w \ walkedslowly olll.ed ollled alked olll.edslo alkedslowly . slo\\ slo sloly slowly \ ly out of the cnpbo11 cnpbond cupbo'ud cupboud ' d room aboveonto above aboveonto aboveonto onto the mibognny m1h06Hny mlhogany floor of tlie the snlon salon snlon"hlch salonwhich salonwhich "hlch hlch which " adjoined It He nodded slo\\ slo sloly slowly slowlyas \ ly , as one " who ho has clinched a sutlsfactorsbirgiln 8l\tIsfactor 8l tIsfactor satisfactory satisfactoryb \ b'lr blr b ' rglln 'lln lln ' And , , crossing to the door , he hehissed hehissed hehissed hissed softly . . . , CHAPTER IXDawson IX IXDawson Dawson Da\\son Da son \ Halg spent pait pmt part of tIl'lt tIllt tli'tt tlitt tli'ttnight tIl'ltnI tintnight ' ' nI night ht In the Iirge hrge 1'trge 1trge ' ciravanseral c1.rl1\anseral c1.rl1anseral c1.rl1 c1rl1 anseral c'tratanserai ctratanserai . ' \ of Blr fir BlrAmbar firAmbar BirAmbar Ambar , on the old p1l pilgrim rlm loiitc 1011te route to toMecca toMecca toMecca Mecca H He ( > had t1 tiaveled trateled a \ eled from KenchIn I\eneh I eneh Keneh IenehIn Kenehin \ : In a big French car cur \ with Ith an nn lg Egyptian Egyptiandriter Egyptiandriver : pUan pUandrh ' ' driter drh er , , over 0cr oter 0\ 0 \ cr ro roids rotds lCls which V.ere'orig V.ereorig Vereorig V.ere'original \ . were'original wereoriginal ere orig origfnal fnal inal ! , } y ' Intended for camels Tlie The tin tinvoasis ) } oasis was ncarl\ ncarl nearh nearit ncarldeserted \ deserted desertell and he dozed dozeda a few fe\\ fe feunea \ unea uneasy < : y hours upon i 1 n ' hird h'lrd hlrd h'rrd hrrd ' ' bedAt bed bedAt bedAt At d divbreak 1break datbreak 1\ 1 \ break they took tool . tlie the road again againreichlng-KoseIr againreichlng KoseIr , , retching re\chlng-Koselr re chlng Koselr ' \ - ' - Koseir about noonlIe noonLie noon noonHe He lIe lIeHIS \ was \HIS HIS aas taken tuken stral straight ht to the house houseof houseof houseof of Doctor Hess , , a n simll SJt1'l1l SJt1l1l smili ' vllli t11h \ 1111 1001.lng 1001lng looking lookingout lookingout . . out upon a sallless sailless sei se'l sel se't set ' ' Ihe Zhe 'l l ' he doctor bname b s bI bname sname I name appcired appe'1red appe1red appeared ' upon a neat bnss b11SS br'iss briss ' plate platebeside platebeside i beside his door , , so that he vvis w'ts wts \ 'IS IS ' ' pre presumably presumably sumably In practiceDoctor practiceDoctor practice practiceDoctor Doctor Hess rose from front behind a n ta to table toble table ble at which "hlch hlch " he was seited se'lted selted seated ' , . smUed smiled smUedsigmficantl smiledsignificant smiledsignificantly sigmficantl significant ! ) . } , and held out his hand handDason handDawson handDan Da\\son Da son Dawson \ son Hiig H'lig Hlig H'tig Htig ' ' caught his brenthrrhe breath brenth rrhe The rrhestall Thestout Thestout stout stall t and prosperous looking lool.mg loolmg lookrng . II Hess Mess es "as as was "asa wasa " wasa a Turk Turki I ! Isodding 1\oddtng 1 oddtng \ oddlng , , Haig Halg handed hnnded him himthe himthe himthe the letter recen received receited cd fiom flom from Hassan cs es SuI Suk SukZhe SukIhe . 'l.he l.he lhe Zhe ' . doctor glanced at It , then fiom flom from a adrn adrawer adrawer drn\\ drn drncr drawer \ cr took tool , . out a third enelope entelope en\ en em \ elope Iden Identic11 Identicil Identic11 tic11 in appearance nppearance , and passed pas.ed pased : . It to toH toH'aI toHilg H H'aI HaI < ' lIg ' ; He now spol spoke e for the flist fist th st time"You time"You time time"You "You You " are the last to arrh arrive arrite e , . Joseph Joseph"He JosephHe " He spoke In 1 I rench reach ' A \ wave \ a ve of relief reliefS reliefswept reliefswept Sept swept S\\ S \ ept over the listener "So So " I understand under understand understand stand , , Doctor . But " ( a sudden Idea Ideaentered Ideaentered Ideaentered entered his brain ) "I I " think thlnI . I 1 en Chow Chowand Chowand Chowand and ' Franz I'ranz Iranz ' cannot be far ahead abead " Doctor Hess smiled even more morebioadly bl broad broadiy oad oadIy Iy . "Nearly Nearly " eight hours " , " he replied"Cons replied replied"Com replied"Convey repliedConvey "Com Com "Cons Cons " ey to the Chief my best tt \ wishesand Ishes Ishesand ishesand and assurances assuranc.es . If you sou ou \ will 111 follow myservant my myservant myservant servant , , he will w111 direct |