Evening star., 1934-07-30
cHAPTER XXX.

n ties are nothing 70
Cobra. his glowing
eyes on the retFeating
eunuehs back. Allah send that, On
the day Of resurrection. I meet not
this fat Jaffr on the bridge Of Al
6lrat, which. Il Is written. Is as fine
as q hair and as sharp as the edge
Of a sword would surely push
him from Il into Satins arms"
Then. turning 10 Diana, he said.
'Thy fox Of q sahib has fooled me.
and thou knoV'est 81 The writing
he did was false writing. Thou
shalt see the price Of II in the Place
OF Fights tomorrow"
The saying. Desperate ills Justify
desperate remedies" summed up
.IafT8r's state OF mind after leaving
Shireen and the Cobra. The escape
should never take place-~ii he could
stop II.
As he desnended the stairs he met
Khoon coming from the council
chamber.
The dwarf looked even more ma
llgnant than usual, but the eunuch
laid a hand on his shoulder.
Master I have important newsl"
"As I may yet have for you"
snapped the dwarf
Nearby stood two huge rhododen-
drons.
How grow you these plants7"
asked the dwarf smoothly. walking
over to them. Tell mel 1 take JOY
In flowers"
As they stood together before the
shrubs, between the words he spoke
aloud concerning the growing Of the
flowers, Jaf1ir spoke other sentences.
THE girl Shireen is plan
ming the escape Of the two sahibsl
-. will try the burying OF bones
at the roots. The Khan is en-
ragged against you, noble Khoonl"
Hastily Khoon looked around.
There was no one watching them.
How spake the Khan Of me?"
Jaffir reflected. II he told the
Mongol all. what was TO stop the
dwarf from going TO the Cobra and
telling him OF the plot2
Like a shared animal. Jafflr saw
that he must face the risk. Khoon
might already have told the veiled
man OF his plot
The Lady Shireen has ordered
me to leave the small door of the
palace gardens unlocked at sunset
today, and ordered me to free the
sahib and withdraw my guards from
the gardens"
Now you talk as a mani said
Khoon. "And what does thy fat
head tell thee to do about it?"
T. -
bering Ills intention to betray this
misshapen bully and the two women.
You have mentioned the very
question on which your slave wanted
counsel, o masterl" he lied. What
should he do?"
You will carry out her orders.
Leave open the gate. Go to the
sahib and free him. See that he is
let To-" He paused and fixed
fearful eyes on the trembling Jafir.
What is TO happen when they have
gone through that door2 The passes
are picketed and the valley patrolled
by my men and hisl'
How should I know" moaned
Jafir, qusking more and more at
the terror OF the prospect before
him. Allah, what viii become
OF me?"
Two people already know twho is
to help them outside the gate, re-
joined his tormentor coldly, the
woman Shireen, and the Inglis girl.
You shall ask the man this thing.
Mayhap the girl has told him. Lovers
keep not secrets well-from each
other. You understand"
'Yes--I understand Would that
] did notl" whimpered Jafir.
Khoon smiled evilly. The mans
fear had played the dwarf's game
for him He knew now that he held
the card to trump the eunuch's plan.
The Mongol's quick mind had guessed
Jaffir's intention long since.
You forget, o Jafir, that you
have sworn to render me q service!"
he said quietly. 1T is a great serv-
ice And for 1t I shall pay you
well. as have told you. Think you
that I wish TO throw away the only
weapon with which can safely
kill one whom hate more than
him"
of the veil?" whispered Jafar,
aghast at the thought of 1t.
The dwarf's hand shot out and
seized the eunuch's damp wrist in
grip Of iron.
Il said not thatl" he snapped. "T
said not that. accursedl Say three
times, on your most sacred oath, that
I did not speak the wordSl Quick,
or / slay thee as thou standestl" AS
he spoke he darted quick glances to
the right and left, and thought he
saw black-robed figure slip behind
pillar some so feet away.
by Allah, you said it not!" Quavered
Jaffr "On the holy Koran. thou
said 1t notl BY the beard OF the
prophet, you said it notl oh.
rnasteri"
Tears were now mingling with the
rivulets OF perspiration that were
tr1ckling down the pasty face.
Slowly Jafiir dragged himself away
and the Mongol stood still. A thin
shrill scream, like that Of 8 rabbit
seized by stoat, echoed to the high
roof.
Spinning round, Khoon faced the
sentrieS.
Let two come instantly" he
called.
Ambling to the door Of Jafnr's
Office, he threw it open.
With his drawn knife glittering
in hts hand he went in.
The small cell-like room was empty.
Nor was there either door or trap
door in IL, and the window was
barred. T. seemed to Khoon that