Part 28 (2/2)

'Not sick,' he said hoarsely 'My body is right enough, but the last few days I have been living in hell'

Blenkiron nodded sympathetically That was how he himself would have described the coripped both his wrists

'Look at ht in the eyes'

His eyes were like a sleep-walker's, unwinking, unseeing 'Great heavens, ed,' he cried, with a weary laugh 'Yes, I have been drugged, but not by any physic No one has been doctoringyour eyes red-hot'

I kept rip on his wrists 'Take your time, old chap, and tell us about it Blenkiron and I are here, and old Peter's on the roof not far off We'll look after you'

'It does ood to hear your voice, dick,' he said 'It res'

'They'll come back, never fear We're at the last lap now One ot to tellis Is it that wohtened colt 'Woh the nether-pit? She's a she-devil Oh, it isn'twith her She's as sane as you and as cool as Blenkiron Her life is an infernal game of chess, and she plays with souls for pawns She is evil-evil-evil' And once more he buried his head in his hands

It was Blenkiron who brought sense into this hectic atainst nerves

'Say, boy,' he said, 'I feel just like you about the lady But our job is not to investigate her character Her Maker will do that good and sure soure how to circuot to tell us what exactly's been occurring since we parted coreat effort

'Greenht I saw you We buried hiarden of the villa Then came the trouble about his successorThe four Ministers would be no party to a swindle They were honest men, and vowed that their task noas to make a tomb for their master and pray for the rest of their days at his shrine They were as iranite hill and she knew it Then they, too, died'

'Murdered?' I gasped

'Murderedall four in oneI do not kno, but I helped to bury them Oh, she had Germans and Kurds to do her foul work, but their hands were clean compared to hers Pity me, dick, for I have seen honesty and virtue put to the shambles and have abetted the deed when it was done It will hauntday'

I did not stop to console him, for my one, and the hu is over,' I cried

'The prophet still lives She has found a successor'

He stood up in his linen tunic

'Why do I wear these clothes? Because I am Greenmantle I am the Kaaba-i-hurriyeh for all Islam In three days' time I will reveal reen ephod of the prophet'

He broke off with an hysterical laugh 'Only you see, I won't I will cut ly 'We'll find some prettier way than that'

'There is no way,' he said; 'no way but death We're done for, all of us Hussin got you out of Stuer every moment At the best you have three days, and then you, too, will be dead'

I had no words to reply This change in the bold and unshakeable Sandy took my breath away

'She made me her accoraves of those innocent ameShe was very candid, you knowShe cares no h at it But she has her own dreams, and they consume her as a saint is consumed by his devotion She has told arden was hell, the days since have been the innermost fires of Tophet I think-it is horrible to say it-that she has got so for me When we have reclaimed the East I am to be by her side when she rides on her milk-white horse into JerusalemAnd there have been moments-only moments, I swear to God-when I have been fired myself by her madness '