Part 43 (2/2)
Sakr-el-Bahr lowered his bow, ain His cooods of price, which I'll not see riddled to please a pert boy,” he said
”Goods of price?” echoed Asad, with a snort ”They'll need to be of price indeed that are valued above the life of oods of price” And to the men upon the waist-deck he shouted, ”Openforward, and laid a hand upon the Basha's arm
”Stay, my lord!” he entreated almost fiercely ”Consider that this pannier is ht to”
”Wouldst babble of rights topassion ”OpenThe ropes were slashed away, and the front of the pannier fell open on its pales There was a half-repressed chorus of amazement from the men Sakr-el-Bahr stood frozen in horror of what must follow
”What is it? What have you found?” de the bale about, and disclosed to the eyes of those upon the poop-deck the face and for himself fro down the gangway to assist her fro aside those who stood about her, took his stand at her side
CHAPTER XVII THE DUPE
For a little while Asad stood at gaze, speechless in his incredulity
Then to revive the anger that for a moment had been whelmed in astonishment came the reflection that he had been duped by Sakr-el-Bahr, duped by the man he trusted most He had snarled at Fenzileh and scorned Marzak when they had jointly warned hier of heeding them, yet sooner or later he had concluded that they but spoke to vent their ht in their estimate of this traitor, whilst he hi Marzak's wit to tear the bandage froway, followed by Marzak, Biskaine, and the others At the point where it joined the waist-deck he paused, and his dark old eyes s brows
”So,” he snarled ”These are thy goods of price Thou lying dog, as thine aim in this?”
Defiantly Sakr-el-Bahr answered hiht to take her with o” He turned to her, and bade her veil her face, and she iers that shook a little in her agitation
”None questions thy right to that,” said Asad ”But being resolved to take her with thee, why not take her openly? Why was she not housed in the poop-house, as becole her aboard in a pannier, and keep her there in secret?”
”And why,” added Marzak, ”didst thou lie toiers?”
”All this I did,” replied Sakr-el-Bahr, with a lofty--alnity, ”because I feared lest I should be prevented fro full upon Asad, dreave of colour into the gaunt old cheeks
”What could have caused that fear?” he asked ”Shall I tell thee?
Because no e as this would have desired the company of his needded wife Because no man would take a ith him upon a raid in which there is peril of life and peril of capture”
”Allah has watched over me his servant in the past,” said Sakr-el-Bahr, ”and I put my trust in Hi stress upon the victories Allah sent him--had afore-time served to disarm his enemies But they served not now Instead, they did but fan the flames of Asad's wrath
”Blasphee, his sallow old face grew vulturine ”She was brought thus aboard in secret out of fear that were her presence known thy true purpose too must stand revealed”
”And whatever that true purpose may have been,” put in Marzak, ”it was not the task entrusted thee of raiding the Spanish treasure-galley”
”'Tis what I esture: ”Wilt thou tell me without further lies what thy purpose was?” he asked