ce to-night, for it
is a hard thing for a mountaineer, an inhabitant of great spaces, to sit
with composure in a trap-like room in the citadel of a foe who has many
acts of rape and murder to avenge on his body. To do Fazir Khan justice
he strove to conceal his restlessness under the usual impassive calm of
his race. He turned his head slightly as Marker entered, nodded gravely
over the bowl of his pipe, and pointed to the seat at the far end of the
divan.

"It is a dark night," he said. "I heard you stumbling on the causeway
before you entered. And I have many miles to cover before dawn."

Marker nodded. "Then you must make haste, my friend. You must be in
the hills by daybreak, for I have some errands I want you to do for me.
I have to-night been dining with two strangers, who have come up from
the south."

The chief's eyes sparkled. "Do they suspect?"

"Nothing in particular, everything in general. They are English. One
was here before and got far up into your mountains. He wrote a clever
book when he returned, which made people think. They say their errand
is sport, and it may be. On the other hand I have a doubt. One has not
the air of the common sportsman. He thinks too much, and his eyes have
a haggard look. It is possible that they are in their Government's
services and have come to reconnoitre."

"Then we are lost," said Fazir Khan sourly. "It was always a fool's
plan, at the mercy of any wandering Englishman."

"Not so," said Marker. "Nothing is lost, and nothing will be lost. But
I fear these two men. They do not bluster and talk at random like the
others. They are so very quiet that they may mean danger."

"They must remain here," said the chief. "Give me the word, and I will
send one of my men to hough their horses and, if need be, cripple
themselves."

Marker laughed. "You are an honest fool, Fazir Khan. That sort of
thing is past now. We live in the wrong times and places for it. We
cannot keep them here, but we must send them on a goose-chase. Do you
understand?"

"I understand nothing. I am a simple man and my ways are simple, and
not as yours."

"Then attend to my words, my friend. Our expedition must be changed and
made two days sooner. That will give these two Englishmen three days
only to checkmate it. Besides, they are ignorant, and to-morrow is lost
to them, for they go to a ball at the Logan woman's. Still, I fear them
with two days to work in. If they go north, they are clever and