an mountaineers would ride, leaping his horse from
rock to rock as if he and the beast were one. I rode to Ranjoor
Singh's side, to protect him if need be, so I heard what followed,
Abraham translating.

"Whence are ye?" said the Kurd. "And whither? And what will ye?"
They are inquisitive people, and they always seem to wish to know
those three things first.

"I have told you already, I ride from Farangistan, [Footnote:
Europe] and I seek Wassmuss. These are my men," said Ranjoor Singh.

"No more may reach Wassmuss unless they have the money with them!"
said the Kurd, very truculently. "Two days ago we let by the last
party of men who carried only talk. Now we want only money!"

"Who was ever helped by impatience?" asked Ranjoor Singh.

"Nay," said the Kurd, "we are a patient folk! We have waited
eighteen days for sight of this gold for Wassmuss. It should have
been here fifteen days ago, so Wassmuss said, but we are willing to
wait eighteen more. Until it comes, none else shall pass!"

I was watching Ranjoor Singh very closely indeed, and I saw that he
saw daylight, as it were, through darkness.

"Yet no gold shall come," he answered, "until you and I shall have
talked together, and shall have reached an agreement."

"Agreement?" said the Kurd. "Ye have my word! Ride back and bid them
bring their gold in safety and without fear!"

"Without fear?" said Ranjoor Singh. "Then who are ye?"

"We," said the Kurd, "are the escort, to bring the gold in safety
through the mountain passes."

"So that he may divide it among others?" asked Ranjoor Singh, and I
saw the Kurd wince. "Gold is gold!" he went on. "Who art thou to let
by an opportunity?"

"Speak plain words," said the Kurd.

"Here?" said Ranjoor Singh. "Here in this defile, where men might
come on us from the rear at any minute?"

"That they can not do," the Kurd answered, "for my men watch from
overhead."

"Nevertheless," said Ranjoor Singh, "I will speak no plain words
here."

The Kurd looked long at him--at least a whole minute. Then he wiped
his nose on the long sleeve of his tunic and turned about. "Come in
peace!" he said, spurring his horse.

Ranjoor Singh followed him, and we followed Ranjoor Singh, without
one word spoken or order given. The Kurd led straight up the defile
for a little way, then sharp to the right and uphill along a path
that wound among great boulders, until at last we halted, pack-mules
and all, in a bare arena formed by