Grim threw the door wide and we all stepped
out,leaving it open behind us. If youreceive this, trust the bearer, who will lead
you to where I am. His self-assurance and vocabulary all seemed to have vanished. If
that fails,they will try to follow in with you. His voice was not pleasing, but it
suggested strength and the lastlimit of self-confidence.
Sidiki ben Mahommed wrung his hands and stared at
him.
Grim went in search of the man I had hit over the
heart.
My friends and I will track these murderers first,
said Grim. For thirty seconds he observed the babu keenly. Then they willaccuse us
all of having murdered those two!
We might as well have questioned a four-year-old
child. I seized the giants knifewrist and in a second we were all three down
together. Using both hands with all my might I could not make him letgo of the
knife. He has been trying to play both sides simply for the love of theintrigue and
for his own advantage.
No Mahatma wouldconsent to be in league with
murderers.
To make things worse, the woman got her hands free
somehow and beganto help him. Get your guns, and then to the
watch-tower!
She only stopped when Sidiki ben Mahommed himself
cursed her intosilence. Andtheyre just as keen on getting control of the whole world
as, forinstance, the Bolshevists are.
Yet one learns more about them than another. Then
they willaccuse us all of having murdered those two! Wecould not return to Leh
without risk of being murdered.
Mordecai knewtoo much; therefore so do we, and were
to be tempted to try torescue Rait. My friends and I will track these murderers
first, said Grim. I think that was the only time I ever regretted having acted
swiftlyon Grims suggestion. Two of Sidikis servants tried to drag her off, crying
out to methat she was their masters wife. I struck amatch, but there were no signs
of a struggle. Sidiki ben Mahommed turned and swore at him, struggling to
wrenchhimself free from Grim. A bull bellowed in the stall; an ass brayed; thentwo
or three sheep bleated.
It was difficultnot to betray the change in our
attitude toward him.
Our visitor rose very slowly from his squatting
posture.
The stranger put his hand into his breast and
produced a sheet ofpaper, folded twice.
One of my servants saysthey lie without noses or
ears on the dung in the yard!
Grim went in search of the man I had hit over the
heart. Bothsides practise secrecy to keep the other side from finding outtheir plans
and methods.