Sakr-el-Bahr ran as lightly as though the swooning woman he bore were no
more than a cloak he had flung across his shoulder. Ahead of him went a
half-dozen of his fellows carrying his gagged and pinioned brother.
Once only before they dipped from the heights of Arwenack did Oliver
check. He paused to look across the dark shimmering water to the woods
that screened the house of Penarrow from his view. It had been part of
his purpose to visit it, as we know. But the necessity had now been
removed, and he was conscious of a pang of disappointment, of a hunger
to look again upon his home. But to shift the current of his thoughts
just then came two of his officers--Othmani and Ali, who had been
muttering one with the other. As they overtook him, Othmani set now a
hand upon his arm, and pointed down towards the twinkling lights of
Smithick and Penycumwick.
"My lord," he cried, "there will be lads and maidens there should fetch
fat prices in the s?k-el-Abeed."
"No doubt," said Sakr-el-Bahr, scarce heeding him, heeding indeed little
in this world but his longings to look upon Penarrow.
"Why, then, my lord, shall I take fifty True-Believers and make a raid
upon them? It were an easy task, all unsuspicious as they must be of
our presence."
Sakr-el-Bahr came out of his musings. "Othmani," said he, "art a fool,
the very father of fools, else wouldst thou have come to know by now
that those who once were of my own race, those of the land from which I
am sprung, are sacred to me.
Pages:
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186