HORROR
Turning in the direction the sound came from, George saw it was the
third man close by him who had whispered the word. Here was a
surprise; but a light began to dawn on him as he answered with
alacrity----
"Allah is good!"
"And ever watchful!" said the man at once.
So Naoum's power was already working. Evidently this fight was a
planned affair between these two men, and Helmar waited wonderingly
for what was to happen next.
The moment the fellow had given the sign he stooped down and quickly
cut the ropes from the prisoner's feet and hands, and whispered,
"Come! we will stay this Abdu's hand and give him a lesson!"
George sprang to his feet instantly, and the two men dashed at the
struggling pair. Abdu's assailant, doubtless prepared for this, at
once relaxed his hold and, before the enraged little officer could
deliver a home thrust with his knife, he was seized by Helmar and
his friend, and the weapon wrenched from his grasp.
The two guards now seemed inclined to leave the affair in the white
man's hands, for the moment Helmar had got a firm grip on Abdu they
fell back.
"So, traitors," screamed the maddened little man, bursting with
fury, "you have turned on me and released your prisoner! By Allah! I
swear you shall pay for this! You are in league against the great
Pasha Arabi, and your lives shall pay the forfeit!"
All the answer he got to his ravings was a stolid smile of triumph
from both men, and, to stay his tongue, Helmar gripped his throat
until he almost choked with a spluttering cough.
"Never mind about traitors," said Helmar, in Arabic. "We are just
going to read you a lesson; retribution has come to you sooner than
you expected. See!" he went on, turning to the others, "pass that
rope along and we will bind him!"
The two men did as they were bid, and together they secured the
officer in no very gentle manner. His hands were folded behind his
back and bound in that position, so that when his feet had been
secured also, he looked like a trussed fowl.
"I'll be more merciful than you were," said Helmar, laughing, as he
forced him to lie full length on the floor. "I will not provide you
with a pillow--but," as Abdu opened his mouth to speak, "if you
utter a sound unbidden, I will fasten you to that chain and let you
hang outside the door for the rest of the journey."
Abdu ground his teeth with rage, but kept silent. His eyes gleamed
murder at the two men who had sold him and released his prisoner.
This, however, in no way seemed to trouble them, for they only
grinned defiance; whilst one of them drew his knife and felt its
sharp point, as if meditating giving the little wretch a taste of
it.
The humour of the situation appealed to George; all thoughts of
revenge had gone, and he merely intended to keep the little man a
prisoner in punishment for what he had done to him. After watching
the contortions of his captive's face for a few moments, George
turned to the two men.
"Well, what do you think is best to do?" he asked, wishing to find
out what their instructions were. "I suppose it is no use to attempt
escape. If we were to manage to jump from the train, it could only
end in disaster."
"No, no," said one of the men. "There can be no escape. Abdu would
have killed you had we not interfered. Our orders were to see that
no harm befell you by the way, so while he sat beside you, we
planned that little affair."
"And very well done it was," replied George, laughing. "But what
will happen when we reach Cairo? You will be shot!"
"No," said the man, complacently. "It is all arranged. Abdu is a
servant of Arden's, and although the master has ordered that you
shall not be killed, yet has Arden ordered differently, and
appointed Abdu to carry out his orders for him. Therefore, what we
have done will bring us in favour with our chief, and Abdu will be
punished--probably hanged," he added in a loud tone so that the
prisoner could hear.
"Oh, I see," replied Helmar. "Then you will take him where you take
me, and hand him over as a prisoner too, for attempting to murder me
against Arabi's wish. That is decidedly smart. Do you hear, Abdu?"
All three men laughed, but the victim of their plans gave no sign.
George was astonished at the workings of Naoum's power. He had
already established a safeguard for him, even on the short journey
to Cairo; what then would he do when at that place where Mariam
Abagi was? The feeling of relief at this fresh instance of his
protector's watchfulness filled him with a sense of security that he
had not yet felt, and he blessed the man who was so kindly disposed
towards him.
The rest of the journey passed uneventfully, and, as the train
pulled up at its destination and Helmar and his guards alighted on
the platform, he was glad to leave the stuffy, heated atmosphere of
the place in which he had had such an exciting time.
Abdu and he marched from the station side by side. The difference
between them was that Abdu's hands still remained bound, while he
was allowed to walk unfettered. His guards hailed a conveyance, and
the four were immediately taken to the prison.
This precaution was necessary, as Helmar soon discovered, for as
they passed along the thoroughfares he saw that the whole city was
in a ferment. The streets were thronged with a shouting cosmopolitan
mob even at that early hour of the morning. Armed rebels were
parading the streets, jostling and hustling any with whom they came
into contact. There was not the slightest doubt that his white face
would have served as a red rag to a bull in that mixed assembly, and
he would never have reached his destination alive.
He remarked on this to his guards, and his surmise was at once
confirmed.
"Your life would not be worth a minute's purchase exposed to view,"
replied the man he addressed. "For that matter, even natives have to
be most careful, the place is almost in a state of riot. Egypt
cannot last like this, we shall eat ourselves up."
Abdu was furtively watching the seething thoroughfare from the
window, and, as the man finished speaking, he endeavoured to attract
some one's attention outside by holding up his bound hands. The
instant he did so, the guard flung himself upon him and forced him
down; but it was too late, the mischief was done. With a cry, two or
three of the crowd elbowed their way, at a run, towards the hack.
Helmar glanced with apprehension at his guards, and noted the fear
expressed in their faces, while Abdu was grinning with the most
intense malice.
The driver evidently saw danger threatening his vehicle and whipped
his horses up, but apparently some signal had been passed along the
road, for the number of pursuers was momentarily increasing to a
howling crowd.
What the issue would have been it is doubtful to say, but just at
that moment they reached the citadel, parts of which were being used
as prison cells, and, with intense relief, Helmar heard the gates of
the courtyard close behind them.
The moment he alighted he was conducted by two evil-looking warders
to his cell, whilst the guards, with Abdu, were taken to an office.
As soon as he found himself alone, Helmar looked round his prison.
It was a decidedly uninviting place. Although much cleaner than the
one in which he had been confined at Damanhour, it was bare of all
furniture, except a sort of wooden trestle, evidently intended for
his bed. This occupied one side of the room, which was a narrow
apartment, about eight feet long by five in width. A dim light was
allowed to penetrate into this dismal hole through a heavily-grated
window high up in the wall. As George surveyed the place he came to
the conclusion, from the solid construction of the walls, that he
was in no ramshackle makeshift. There was none of the filth and dirt
of his previous experience, and he felt that here at least he could
lie down on the hard and uncomfortable boards without being eaten
alive by loathsome insects.
He felt tired after his long journey, and his appetite was keen. He
fancied that no matter what his diet might be, he could do ample
justice to it when it should be brought along.
Using his coat as a pillow, he stretched himself out on his trestle
and waited patiently for some one to come. Every now and then he
burst out laughing, as his thoughts went back to the journey to
Cairo.
What stunning fellows those two guards had proved themselves--and
how smartly they had fooled Abdu! He wondered where they were, and
if they would be allowed to look after him. Such luck, he was
afraid, could not be. No, he would probably be waited upon by one of
those two surly fellows who had conducted him to his present abode.
An hour passed, and at last he heard a footstep outside; he wondered
if it was the much-desired breakfast, or a summons before Arabi's
tribunal. The steps came nearer, and a key was placed in the lock of
his door. A moment later a warder entered with some bread and
coffee.
The man silently advanced. Helmar's eyes watched his movements
closely; he set the tin of coffee on the floor and the bread beside
it, and thus, without a word, turned to depart.
"I say," cried George, as the man neared the door, "is this all a
hungry man is to have? Why, hang it all, I was treated better by
Arden!"
George had spoken in English, thinking it wisest not to air his
Arabic before this man.
The warder only shook his head, to signify that he did not
understand.
George then tried him in French, but with no better success. At
last, seeing that his chance of a better breakfast was slipping from
him, he repeated his remarks in Arabic.
"Bread and coffee is too good for a dog of an unbeliever," replied
the warder, in a surly tone, "better food is only for the sons of
the Prophet. The white dog will soon not need anything in Egypt."
As he finished speaking he left the cell, slamming the door behind
him, as if to emphasize his disgust at waiting on a white man.
"The surly pig," muttered Helmar, when the man had gone. "It's scant
favour I shall get from him. Heigho! my troubles seem never-ending,
but there--upon my word, I am getting used to them now. Bread, eh?"
he went on, picking up the hunk of stale, black, husky-looking stuff
before him. "I could make better bread myself out of bran."
He picked up the tin of coffee and tasted it.
"Ah, that's a bit better. I must say they do understand making
coffee." Without more ado he ate his bread ravenously, and, in spite
of its blackness and heaviness, felt very much refreshed when he had
finished. The coffee was certainly good, and George drank it
sparingly, lest it should be long before he got any more.
After this he lay down to take a nap. Sleep was not long in
overtaking him, and despite his troubles, despite his hard
uncomfortable bed, he slumbered peacefully.
It seemed to him he had not slept five minutes when he was rudely
awakened by some one pulling at his leg. It was his gaoler.
"Come on, you're wanted," he said, with an unpleasant smile;
"they're going to ask you some questions."
"Eh, what? Who's going to ask me some questions?" said George,
sitting up and rubbing his eyes. "Eh?" as he looked at his gaoler in
great surprise. "Oh yes, I remember now--all right, lead on, I'm
with you."
He sprang from his hard couch, and stretched himself as he spoke. He
had not yet had time to think or he would scarcely have answered as
cheerily; neither had he seen the unpleasant look on the man's face,
which portended anything but something pleasant awaiting him.
However, he followed his guide, who led him out of the building
across the courtyard he had entered in the morning, to a sort of
miniature tower standing alone. The place was of peculiar structure,
and there was no doubt that it was not built by European hands. So
interested was he in the place that he drew the warder's attention
to it.
"What place is this? part of the prison?"
"Ay, it's part of the prison, but a part not much used--until now,"
and he turned to the door, fumbling with a great key in the lock.
Helmar's curiosity was still further aroused. The man's words
conveyed hidden meaning.
"Yes, but what is it for? Does it contain another series of cells?"
"You will soon find out what it is for unless you are sensible, and
it certainly contains another series of cells," replied the man,
flinging back the heavy iron-studded door, which creaked and groaned
as if it hadn't been opened for years.
Without another word the warder led the way in. The air was musty
and dark, and George shuddered as he stepped into the dark passage
that lay before him. As soon as he had passed in the gaoler turned
and closed the door, and then proceeded to guide our hero to the
head of a flight of stone steps. Here he took a lighted lantern from
the wall, and together they descended into the depths below.
The moment he put his foot on the first step of the stairway, George
remembered Naoum's words. Was this the place in which the
_interrogation_ was to be carried out! The very thought of it sent a
cold shiver of terror down his back, but he knew that it would be
worse than useless to fight against the inevitable; even if he
refused to go farther his retreat was entirely cut off, and
doubtless his gaoler could summon aid to force him to the tribunal.
No, he would endeavour to put a bold face upon it, and trust to
circumstances and Naoum's help to see him through. Keeping close to
his guide he steadily descended. The staircase wound round and
round, and as they got lower and lower the steps became more and
more damp and slippery, until at last he had to cling to a sort of
rough wooden balustrade for support. At last the end of what seemed
an interminable journey was reached, and the two men stood in front
of an iron door. This, with some difficulty, the gaoler opened, and
proceeded along a short narrow passage which ended in an archway
covered by some rough damp fabric. Pulling this aside, the man led
the way.
Helmar stood where he was, just inside the archway, while his guide
proceeded to light several lanterns which hung round the walls.
As the light spread over the room, a frenzy of terror seized Helmar,
and he stood rooted to the spot.