The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1941-08-14
The Road to Ba9dad

she asked sweetly.
Asad bent forward, his hands
clasping his knees, his voice a
snarl of discomfort. "Has Ronald
Barker been talking to you about
Osman Khali?"
"Of course, everybody has. His
escape from Jerusalem is the talk
of the ship. I asked him If he
knew anything about it. He
didn't. Do you know where o.
man Khali has gone, Joe?"
"Where Osman Khali hides is
no affair Of yours. Besides"
Asad laughed ''-no matter where
he is, he can be moved to another
hiding place if he receives a warn
ing"
She looked at him narrowly.
"You admit that you had some
thing to do with moving him from
the Dome of the Rock of Jeru-
salem" He wouldn't reply and by
the sudden firmness of his jaw
she knew that their conversation
about the descendant of the Pro-
phet was finished. "Have you
nothing else to say to me, Joe?"
she asked him.
Yes. I shall ask the same ques-
ton of you many times until you
give me the right answer"
Il don't mind. Your company
is pleasant" Camilla rose. "And
now I must go and dress for din
ner. Au revoir."
It seemed probable that Ronald
Barker had procured the invita-
ton for cocktails from Captain
Simpson in order that they might
meet unobserved and uninterrup-
ted. 1t grew dark while Camilla
dressed and when she made her
way up the after stairway she
saw people going down to dinner,
for the gong had already sound
ed. She watched for her oppor-
tunity and reached the boat deck,
going forward to the door of the
captains cabin, knocking timid-
ly. Captain Simpson, a cocktail
shaker in one hand, opened the
door himself, greeting her warm
ly. Ronald Barker had not yet ar
rived.
She was looking at the captain
as sounds of a commotion came
from the deck outside-blows and
a sudden crash. Simpson rushed
into the gangway and out on deck
where in dim silhouette against
the nearest lifeboat Camilla could
sect wo struggling figures. She
caught a~gleam on the blade of a
knife and saw it stop in the air
as it was caught and held. Then a
blow from Ronald Barker as the
man fell, the knife Gathering to
the deck. He tried to scramble to
his feet, but Simpson caught him
by the ankle and Barker fell on
him. By this time one of the men
On the ridge had rushed down
and they held the man helpless.
The whole affair had only TAX
en- seconds and no .one on the
decks below had been aroused.
TX eep this quiet, Captain,
please, Barker said.
do you know who he is?"
Haven't the slightest idea.
Never saw him before in my life"
A man of the watch on deck
brought searchlight, flashed it
into the mans face, revealing his
oily sweater and dungarees.
well, of all the! I'm sorry,
MIR. Barker" Simpson said. cts
one OF my own crew. He'll do a
stretch for this"
All the fight was out of him
and they slipped handouts over
his wrists. They tried to make
him talk, but he only stared at
them duly, breathing hard. His
name was Ayub, they said, Turk
who had signed on at Piraeus last
voyage. AS they led the man be-
low the captain picked up the
knife, murderous affair with a
carved blade, something like a
creese.
There's blood on it," he gasped.
did he get you somewhere, Mr..
Barker?"
"Oh, just in the shoulder when
I threw my arm up to catch it.
It's nothing at all"
They led Barker into the office
where they took off his coat and
cut the sleeve of his shirt.
'sIt does seem as if they intend
ed to make good their threat" Ca
milla said. "Can't something be
done Captain, to prevent any,