Wild barbaric faces
held a look of expectancy, of wonderment, for no one knew why the order
had been passed that they were to assemble at that point.
Kassim caught sight of Barlow as he drew near, and raising his hand in
a salute, said: "Come close, Sahib, the slayer of Amir Khan, in
accordance with my promise, is to go from our midst a free man. His
punishment has been left to Allah, the one God."
Without more ado he stretched forth his right arm impressively toward
the murky stream, that, where it rippled at some disturbance carried on
its bosom ribbons of gold where the sun fell, saying:
"Yonder lies the way, infidel, strangler, slayer of a follower of the
Prophet! Depart, for, failing that, it lacks but an hour till the sun
reaches overhead, and thy time will have elapsed--thou will die by the
torture. You are free, even as I attested by the Beard of the Prophet.
And more, what is not in the covenant,"--Kassim drew from beneath his
rich brocaded vest the dagger of Amir Khan, its blade still carrying
the dried blood of the Chief--"this is thine to keep thy vile life if
you can.
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