Part 24 (2/2)
”I have three hundred mounted men!” the Kurd said at last
”And I near as h ”I crave no favors! I come with an offer, as one leader to another!”
The Kurd frowned and hesitated, but sent at last for bread and salt, for all our party, except that he ordered his ive none to our prisoners and none to the Syrians, whoh had told him they were Syrians he would have refused the ard sheep
”Let the prisoners be,” said Ranjoor Singh, ”but feed those others! They h the plan!”
So the Kurd ordered our Syrians, whoht Turks, fed too, and we dipped the flat bread (so one another
”Now speak, and we listen,” said the Kurd e had finished So around hireat rock
”How h, and the Kurd's eyes blazed ”Wassmuss promised me so-and-so much,” he answered, ”if I with three hundred men wait here for the convoy and escort it to where he waits”
”But why do ye serve Wassh
”Because he buys friendshi+p, as other hee, or a horse, or a it is Gerold, and in return for it we must harry the British and Russians”
”Yet you and I are friends by bread and salt,” said Ranjoor Singh, ”and I offer you all this gold, whereas he offers only part of it! Nay, I and my men need none of it-I offer it all!”
”At what price?” asked the Kurd, suspiciously Doubtlessthese mountains as in other places!
”I shall nah ”A low price We shall both be content with our bargain, and possibly Wassmuss, too, may feel satisfied for a while”
”Nay, you must be a wizard!” said the Kurd ”Speak on!”
”Tell h, ”about the party ent through this defile two days ahead of us”
”What do you know of theh ”We have followed the here a little and there a little What is it that they have with them? Who are they? Why were they let pass?”
”They were let pass because Wassave the order,” the Kurd answered ”They are Germans-six German officers, six Ger porters and ca on poles between theh
”Nay, I know not,” said the Kurd
”Nevertheless,” said Ranjoor Singh, ”my brother is a man with eyes and ears What did my brother hear?”
”They said their e from places as far apart as Khabul and Stamboul Doubtless they lied,” the Kurd answered
”Doubtless!” said Ranjoor Singh By his slow even breathing and apparent indifference, I kneas on a hot scent, so I tried to appear indifferentaround their leader listened with ears and eyes agape They made no secret of their interest