A TIGHT CORNER
Following his new friend, George left the office. The spirit of
adventure was fully upon him, and with his hand in his coat pocket,
he gripped the weapon the inspector had given him, speculating in
his mind as to what was the object of their night's work, and how
their expedition would result. Evidently it was an affair of
importance from the hesitation of the officer to enlist his
services; instinctively he felt there was danger ahead.
Their direction again lay towards the low quarter of the city, and
Helmar noted the familiarity and ease with which his guide wound
his way through all the lanes, blind alleys, and courts that had so
confused and puzzled him.
"I had better explain to you," said the inspector, after a few
moments' silence, as they threaded their way along the narrow,
dirty, evil-smelling streets, "what we are about to do. Being a
stranger in the country, you probably are not aware that for some
time past, meetings of a revolutionary character have been going on
in nearly all the towns in Egypt. The fountain head of this movement
is as yet undiscovered, as also is the ultimate object. Of one thing
the authorities are assured, and that is, there is some terrible
secret danger threatening the country, and the duty of our
department is to watch, and, if possible, stop the work of this
organization."
"Of what are the authorities afraid?" asked Helmar, as he listened
with keen interest to his companion's explanations.
"I can't quite say. My own opinion is a native rising. There are
several big Pashas the Government would not trust as far as they can
see, and, for my part, I think nothing is more likely than that one
of these should head a rebellion against the power of the Khedive."
"I see; and our work to-night is in connection with one of these
meetings?"
"Exactly. The meeting is to be held at one of the lowest dives in
the city, and its locality I have only to-night discovered; in fact,
that was the business I was engaged upon when your timely aid saved
my life."
"I see," exclaimed George; "but that attempt on you shows that these
people are aware of your movements. The probabilities are that even
now we are being watched."
"Precisely; notwithstanding the silence and deserted appearance of
these streets, I have no doubt that a lynx eye has been upon us from
the moment we left the station. The object of our journey is to
discover, if possible, whether the meeting takes place, and, if so,
who passes in or out of the building. Our danger is in being
discovered. Should their sentries or spies find us out, we shall
probably have a rough time."
A grim smile spread itself over the inspector's keen face as he
finished speaking, and he looked at Helmar to observe the effect of
his words.
"Well, if it comes to a fight, I have little doubt that we can give
a good account of ourselves," he replied. "For my part nothing would
give me greater pleasure than to try conclusions with some of the
cowardly assassins."
"No doubt you will have your wish. It is the duty of a
police-officer not to avoid trouble if he finds it."
They were now nearing the outskirts of the town. The streets were
wider and cleaner, long, open spaces stretched between the houses,
and the reeking atmosphere of the native quarter gave place to the
fresh air of the open country. There was no moon to guide them, and
they had long since got beyond the limit of the city lighting.
Suddenly, in the middle of one of these long, open spaces, the
officer caught hold of his companion's arm, and stopped in an
attitude of keen attention.
"Not a word!" he whispered, after a momentary pause. "We are
followed. Come, drop down here, under this bush, and don't move till
you see what I do. Shush!"
The pair lay down and pushed themselves as far under the bush as
possible. Here they were within reach of the foot-walk they had been
travelling, and yet entirely screened from observation.
So far George's untrained ear had discovered nothing, and he
marvelled at his companion's sharpness, but before they had been
there a minute, he heard the soft patter-patter of bare feet coming
along the path. The officer squeezed his arm to impress silence upon
him, and then, raising himself, he tucked his feet under him ready
for a spring. The footsteps came nearer and nearer.
George felt a quiver of excitement pass all over him as he waited;
every nerve was strained to its utmost tension, and it was with
difficulty he repressed the desire to jump out of his hiding-place.
The footsteps were now nearing at a run, evidently the spy thought
he had lost his quarry, and was anxious to see what had become of
them.
Suddenly the figure loomed up in the darkness, and just as it came
abreast of the bush, the officer bounded from his place of
concealment. Before the man could so much as cry out he had gripped
him by the throat, and brought him down to the ground.
George was hardly a moment behind his chief.
"Quick, gag him with his turban!" said Childs. "There is no time to
lose."
While the inspector held the man, Helmar unwound the turban and
bound it round the fellow's mouth. Then cutting the spare end off,
he secured his hands behind him. The man's sash was useful in
binding his feet, and, thus trussed, they threw him under the bush.
"I calculated on this," said the officer. "Had we not secured this
fellow, the meeting would have been warned, and we should probably
never have escaped with our lives. Come along, he is safe for a
while, and we can now continue our journey without fear of
observation."
"But," said Helmar, "how is it that this nigger came to follow
us--who put him on your track?"
"Ah, I see you don't understand. There are spies all over the town,
and the police movements are watched. I, in particular, never leave
the office but I am followed by one of these thieving, murdering
Arabs."
The inspector now altered his direction, and they returned towards
the town. In a few minutes they approached a dingy-looking house
standing well back from the road. The place stood in its own
grounds, and over the door was a sign which George failed to
understand. At first glance there appeared to be no indication of
occupation--the house was in complete darkness.
Before they came up to it, the officer made a _detour_ and reached
the ground at the back.
"That is the house," said he in a whisper. "It is one of the most
infamous gambling hells in the city. You can see no lights because
all the shutters are closed, and no doubt there are blankets over
them; but--holloa, there's a light shining through that window!" he
went on, pointing to one that had just come into view as they
reached the garden.
The two men now climbed over the fence, and, dropping into the
shrubs on the other side, cautiously neared the building. Telling
George to remain where he was, the inspector crawled right up to the
window, through the shutters of which a stream of light poured.
Watching him eagerly, George saw him place his hand on the sill and
peer through the crack. The moments slipped by, and his eye remained
glued to the crack. Suddenly there was a rustle in the bush close
by. It passed unnoticed, for George had eyes and ears for nothing
but what his chief was doing. Again there was a rustle, this time
more pronounced. Still it remained unnoticed.
The inspector suddenly left the window, and the next moment rejoined
his companion.
"Well?" whispered Helmar, anxiously. "What news?"
The inspector's face was very grave, and his tones, as he answered,
were full of import.
"The best--or rather, the worst. I recognized two people there, one
a trusted member of the official staff, and the other a man who has
been suspected for a long time. We had better get back--there is
nothing more to be done to-night, I have seen all I wish to.
To-morrow--we'll wait until to-morrow."
As he finished speaking, he turned sharply round and peered into the
scrubbly bush behind them.
"What is it?" asked Helmar, his hand slipping to his revolver
unconsciously.
"Did you hear anything?" asked his companion. "By Jove, there's some
one on our track. Come along, we'll get out while we have a whole
skin."
Leading the way out of the shrubs they made for the fence. The night
was particularly dark, and the air was so still that the light sound
of their footsteps became ominously loud. The inspector was
convinced that there was some one in the garden watching them, and
their only chance of safety was by taking to the open instead of
returning as they came, through the scrub. At last the fence was
reached.
"Up you get, youngster!" whispered Childs. "Look well before you
drop on the other side."
George sprang on to the top and looked over. At that moment he
heard a terrible cry behind him. Glancing round, he was just in time
to see the glint of a long keen blade, and the next instant the
inspector fall to the ground with a groan.
Without a moment's hesitation, George dropped from the fence to his
assistance. He drew his revolver, and, just as a hideous great black
wretch rushed at him, he fired point-blank. Down fell the man across
the fallen officer, and then, as if by magic, half-a-dozen
wild-looking figures appeared all round him.
There was no mistaking their intention. With a yell of fury they
rushed on him. Helmar was as cool as if anything but his life
depended upon the issue. As the nearest of the Arabs approached, he
dropped him with another shot, then turning with an astonishing
quickness of the eye brought another to his knees. It was, however,
his last shot, for, as the man fell, his knife which had been
upraised, struck him on the wrist, lacerating it terribly; his
revolver fell from his nerveless grasp, and he was at the mercy of
his antagonists.
For a moment or two he struggled furiously with the remaining three,
but the contest was too uneven. The assailants were armed with long,
keen knives, and Helmar had now nothing with which to defend
himself.
[Illustration: "Just as a hideous black wretch rushed at him, he
fired point-blank." p. 66]
In those moments he realized the futility of his efforts, but he
meant to sell his life dearly, and struck out with his left to such
purpose that for a second the savages drew back. It was, however,
but a momentary lull, and with a combined rush they overwhelmed him.
For one brief moment he struggled fiercely, then he saw one of his
assailants raise a long narrow blade--the next instant it fell, and,
with a sickening sensation, it struck him in the shoulder. He
struggled to release himself, and then, without a single cry, sank
to the ground.
The sound of the firing and the cries of his assailants had roused
the neighbourhood, and just as the murderers were about to finish
their work a crowd approached, and they precipitately fled. It was a
mixed and villainous crew that first reached the spot after the
departure of the murderers, mainly consisting of natives; but there
was a sprinkling of Europeans of doubtful repute, and they quickly
gathered round the two inanimate bodies.