Queen Sheba's Ring

  CHAPTER XI

  THE RESCUE FAILS

  Our breakfast on the following morning was a somewhat gloomy meal. Bycommon consent no allusion was made to the events of the previous day,or to our conversation at bedtime.

  Indeed, there was no talk at all to speak of, since, not knowingwhat else to do, I thought I could best show my attitude of mind bypreserving a severe silence, while Quick seemed to be absorbedin philosophical reflections, and Orme looked rather excited anddishevelled, as though he had been writing poetry, as I daresay wasthe case. In the midst of this dreary meal a messenger arrived, whoannounced that the Walda Nagasta would be pleased to see us all withinhalf-an-hour.

  Fearing lest Orme should say something foolish, I answered briefly thatwe would wait upon her, and the man went, leaving us wondering what hadhappened to cause her to desire our presence.

  At the appointed time we were shown into the small audience room, and,as we passed its door, I ventured to whisper to Oliver:

  "For your own sake and hers, as well as that of the rest of us, Iimplore you to be careful. Your face is watched as well as your words."

  "All right, old fellow," he answered, colouring a little. "You may trustme."

  "I wish I could," I muttered.

  Then we were shown in ceremoniously, and made our bows to Maqueda, whowas seated, surrounded by some of the judges and officers, among them,Prince Joshua, and talking to two rough-looking men clad in ordinarybrown robes. She greeted us, and after the exchange of the usualcompliments, said:

  "Friends, I have summoned you for this reason. This morning when thetraitor Shadrach was being led out to execution at the hands of thesemen, the officers of the law, he begged for a delay. When asked why, ashis petition for reprieve had been refused, he said that if his lifewas spared he could show how your companion, he whom they call BlackWindows, may be rescued from the Fung."

  "How?" asked Orme and I in one breath.

  "I do not know," she answered, "but wisely they spared the man. Let himbe brought in."

  A door opened, and Shadrach entered, his hands bound behind his back andshackles on his feet. He was a very fearful and much chastened Shadrach,for his eyes rolled and his teeth chattered with terror, as, havingprostrated himself to the Walda Nagasta, he wriggled round and tried tokiss Orme's boot. The guards pulled him to his feet again, and Maquedasaid:

  "What have you to tell us, traitor, before you die?"

  "The thing is secret, O Bud of the Rose. Must I speak before so many?"

  "Nay," she answered, and ordered most of those present to leave theroom, including the executioners and soldiers.

  "The man is desperate, and there will be none left to guard him," saidJoshua nervously.

  "I'll do that, your Highness," answered Quick in his bad Arabic, andstepping up behind Shadrach he added in English, "Now then, Pussy, youbehave, or it will be the worse for you."

  When all had gone again Shadrach was commanded to speak and say how hecould save the Englishman whom he had betrayed into the hands of theFung.

  "Thus, Child of Kings," he answered, "Black Windows, as we know, isimprisoned in the body of the great idol."

  "How do you know it, man?"

  "O Lady, I do know it, and also the Sultan said so, did he not? Well,I can show a secret road to that idol whence he may be reached andrescued. In my boyhood I, who am called Cat, because I can climb sowell, found that road, and when the Fung took me afterward and threwme to the lions, where I got these scars upon my face, by it I escaped.Spare me, and I will show it to you."

  "It is not enough to show the road," said Maqueda. "Dog, you must savethe foreign lord whom you betrayed. If you do not save him you die. Doyou understand?"

  "That is a hard saying, Lady," answered the man. "Am I God that I shouldpromise to save this stranger who perchance is already dead? Yet Iwill do my best, knowing that if I fail you will kill me, and that ifI succeed I shall be spared. At any rate, I will show you the road towhere he is or was imprisoned, although I warn you that it is a roughone."

  "Where you can travel we can follow," said Maqueda. "Tell us now what wemust do."

  So he told her, and when he had done the Prince Joshua intervened,saying that it was not fitting that the Child of Kings in her own sacredperson should undertake such a dangerous journey. She listened to hisremonstrances and thanked him for his care of her.

  "Still I am going," she said, "not for the sake of the stranger who iscalled Black Windows, but because, if there is a secret way out of MurI think it well that I should know that way. Yet I agree with you,my uncle, that on such a journey I ought not to be unprotected, andtherefore I pray that you will be ready to start with us at noon, sinceI am sure that then we shall all be safe."

  Now Joshua began to make excuses, but she would not listen to them.

  "No, no," she said, "you are too honest. The honour of the Abati isinvolved in this manner, since, alas! it was an Abati that betrayedBlack Windows, and an Abati--namely, yourself--must save him. You haveoften told me, my uncle, how clever you are at climbing rocks, and nowyou shall make proof of your skill and courage before these foreigners.It is a command, speak no more," and she rose, to show that the audiencewas finished.