To do Fazir Khan justice
he strove to conceal his restlessness under the usual impassive calm of
his race. He turned his head slightly as Marker entered, nodded gravely
over the bowl of his pipe, and pointed to the seat at the far end of the
divan.
"It is a dark night," he said. "I heard you stumbling on the causeway
before you entered. And I have many miles to cover before dawn."
Marker nodded. "Then you must make haste, my friend. You must be in
the hills by daybreak, for I have some errands I want you to do for me.
I have to-night been dining with two strangers, who have come up from
the south."
The chief's eyes sparkled. "Do they suspect?"
"Nothing in particular, everything in general. They are English. One
was here before and got far up into your mountains. He wrote a clever
book when he returned, which made people think. They say their errand
is sport, and it may be. On the other hand I have a doubt. One has not
the air of the common sportsman. He thinks too much, and his eyes have
a haggard look. It is possible that they are in their Government's
services and have come to reconnoitre."
"Then we are lost," said Fazir Khan sourly. "It was always a fool's
plan, at the mercy of any wandering Englishman."
"Not so," said Marker. "Nothing is lost, and nothing will be lost. But
I fear these two men. They do not bluster and talk at random like the
others.
Pages:
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268