Part 36 (2/2)

”Speak, thou, Kurra heard the order to throw that trophy to the in the orld could be fairer! She left hi! It was more than fair, for she went out of her way to offer hih And she paid hih to take it, for she see answer

”Tell theuessed by the tone of her voice whether she was for hiain to whisper, watched to see which way the cat would jump

He bowed low to her three times-very low indeed and very slowly, for he had to think Then he turned his back and repeated the obeisance to the crowd Still he could think of no excuse, except cocker's Rule No I for Tight Places, and all the world knows that because Solo first:

”A soft answer is better than a sword!”

But cocker adds, ”Never excuse Explain! And blame no man”

”My brothers,” he said, and paused, since a , even when he can not see the end And as he spoke the answer caht, and his voice becaives it freely ”These be stirring tiht how one th of an oath and a promise All he lacked was proof And I had proof Ye saw! Who am I that I should deny you a custom? Yet-think ye, my brothers!-how easy would it not have been, had I thrown that head to you, for a traitor to catch it and hide it in his clothes, and make aith it! He could have used it to adlishman, my brothers! If that had happened, ye would have bla its cue fronition of the hakiame was not won; there lacked a touch to tip the scales in his favor, and Yasenius

”The haki turned about instantly to face her, but he salaamed so low that she could not have seen his expression had she tried

”If Ye wish it, I will order him tossed into Earth's Drink after those other three”

Muha where he stood

”It is the law!” he growled, and King shuddered

”It is the law,” Yas with pride and insolence, ”that none interrupt me while I speak! For such ill-ers! Will you test my authority, Muhamhed at him, but not all of the oes out of Khinjan Cave alive who breaks the law of the Caves But he broke no very big law And he spoke truth Think Ye! If that head had only fallen into Muhaled in another reeted that thrust Many hed at the mullah's first discoeted,

”So it seeood,” Yas very clear and true (she seemed to know the trick of the roof, and to use the echo or not as she chose), ”to let this hakim live! He shall meditate in his cave a while, and perhaps he shall be beaten, lest he dare offend again He can no more escape from Khinjan Caves than the women who are prisoners here He may therefore live!”

There was utter silence Men looked at one another and at her, and her blazing eyes searched the croiftly It was plain enough that there were at least two parties there, and that none dared oppose Yasmini's will for fear of the others

”To thy seat, Kurram Khan!” she ordered, when she had waited a full minute and no man spoke

He wasted no time He hurried out of the arena as fast as he could walk, with Ismail and Darya Khan close at his heels It was like a run out of danger in a dreas of the front-rank et back to his place, and Ised hied hied him until his ribs cracked

”Ready o' wit!” he crowed ”Ready o' tongue! Light o' life! Man after mine own heart! Hey, I love thee! Readily I would be thyhers! Would I had a son like thee! Fool-fool-fool not to throw the head to them! Squeamish one! Man like a child! What is the head but earth when the life has left it? What would thy head be without the nimble wit? Fool-fool-fool! And clever! Turned the joke on Muha-in the bat of an eye-in a breath! Turned it against her eneainst him from his own men! Ready o' wit! Shaood to thee!”

Still exulting, he let go, but none too soon for co for days

”What is it?” he asked For King seereat hairy ear to listen

”Have they taken Ali Masjid Fort?” King whispered

”How should I know? Why?”