CHAPTER XII--BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH
Dick's next sensation was that of an acute pain that shot through everylimb and every part of his body. On his chest there seemed a terribleweight that was smothering him, while his head was being crushed by aniron band. He was choking; his neck gave him the most exquisite agony.Far away he seemed to hear the babble of mocking voices. Some one waslaughing at him; there were many of them.
In spite of the terrible pains he felt, every limb seemed numb andhelpless. He had not strength nor power of will. A husky groan came fromhis lips, which were purple and tinged with blood. That sound calledforth another burst of mocking laughter.
He opened his eyes. At first he could see nothing, for the bright sun ofthe Orient was shining full upon him.
He knew not what had happened.
After a bit he began to realize that he was lying flat on his back in anarrow street, while around him at a little distance were standing manystrange men. They were gazing at him in contempt and laughing at hismisery. To him in his agony their faces seemed the faces of fiends.
A feeling of resentment and anger lay hold upon him. It infuriated himbecause they could stand about and mock him in his wretchedness.
"You dog!" he tried to cry; but the hissing gasp that came from his lipswas inarticulate.
One of the crowd stepped out and poked the boy with his foot. Then helifted his hand to his mouth and threw back his head, as if drinking,after which he made a few staggering steps.
The crowd roared with laughter.
For all of his condition, Dick understood that pantomime. The crowdthought him drunk.
But what had happened to him? Why was he lying there in that wretchedstreet, with the fierce sun beating on him?
He closed his eyes and tried to remember what had taken place. Hiseffort carried him back to Fardale. For the time being he fancied he hadbeen engaged in a desperate game of football, and in the fearfulline-bucking clash he had been injured. That was it. He was lying on thefootball field. The narrow street, the queer, gray houses, and themocking fiends who laughed at his misery were the hallucinations of hisshocked brain.
What were the boys doing? Had they checked the charge of the enemy?Perhaps they had the ball! Possibly some one of them had carried it overthe enemy's line for a touchdown, and so, in the excitement of victory,their injured captain had been forgotten.
"Rah! rah! rah! Fardale!"
He tried to cheer. It was the duty of a true son of old Fardale to cheeras long as the breath of life remained in his body.
Once more that sound of mocking laughter reached him. Again he openedhis eyes.
He saw no comrades in red and black. He saw no stand packed withcheering cadets. Again he beheld the gray buildings of the dirty street.Again he saw those leering faces and grinning mouths all around him.
"It's a nightmare!" he whispered. "I must break the spell! I must move!"
He made a mighty effort, and, in spite of the pain, rolled over on hisside.
The old man came up and kicked him back into his former position.
"Wait!" thought the boy--"wait till I get up, you dirty wretch! You'llnot wipe your feet on me after that!"
One of the crowd spat at him and called him a filthy infidel.
"I'll try to remember you, also!" said Dick to himself.
Weakly he lifted his hands to his neck. It was paining him frightfully,and he seemed to feel marks upon it, as if something had left indelibleprints in the flesh.
"I'm not in Fardale," he thought. "I'm somewhere--somewhere--somewherefar away. Where am I? and how did I get here?"
The pressure on his head prevented him from thinking. He felt to see ifan iron band were truly crushing his skull.
He could find nothing of the sort.
"I must get up! I must! I will!"
They laughed and called to him as he lifted himself little by little tohis elbow. At last, with his hands on the ground and his body lurched toone side, like a man wounded unto death, he paused, breathing with ahorrible, whistling sound.
"Strength--I must have strength!" he thought. "If I give up the leastbit, I'll drop back here and never rise again."
So he waited until a little more strength came to him. He seemed tosummon it by his indomitable and unyielding will.
He heard the rabble chattering about him, but he no longer heeded them.
"The ocean liner--England--Italy--Constantinople!" He was beginning toremember.
"Where is Brad? Where is the professor?"
He straightened up, in spite of all the pain it cost him. He shifteduntil he was on his hands and knees.
The old man, grinning maliciously, again hastened forward and lifted hisfoot, intending to kick the boy over.
"Stay!"
It was a single word of command, but it was spoken in a tone that causedthe man to pause.
Through the crowd strode a man with a dark face and a black beard thatwas threaded with gray. He was dressed in garments that seemed toproclaim him a person of more than common rank. He advanced and bentover the lad, whom he lifted to a standing position, supporting him withone arm.
"Boy," he demanded, "what does it mean? Tell me what has happened tothee and to the beautiful maiden."
"The--the beautiful maiden?" muttered Dick. "You mean--you mean--Nadia?"
Then he remembered, and the shock caused him to straighten up stiffly.He turned and looked into the face of Ras al Had.
"You--you treacherous snake!" he panted.
With all the strength he could summon, he struck the old sheik in theface.
The mob gasped, and then it howled. It pressed forward, seeking to layhands on the tottering boy who had dared strike one of the true faith.
Again Ras al Had drew his sword. Some of them expected to see him runthe infidel through the body. Instead of that, he drove them back.
"Keep thy hands off him!" commanded the sheik. "Leave him to me!"
Once more he clutched the lad, who was swaying and apparently ready tofall.
"Don't touch me, you traitor!" gasped Merriwell. "I wish I had left youto die beside the railroad, instead of pumping the breath of life backinto your miserable, old carcass!"
"You are mad, boy."
"That's right, I am!"
"Tell me what happened?"
"You know!"
"By the beard of the Prophet, I swear I do not know."
"It is no sin to lie to an infidel!"
"Ras al Had never lied to any man."
"You do not know what happened? Well, we were betrayed by those blackdogs you sent to escort us. We were led here. I was choked intounconsciousness. What has become of Nadia I cannot tell."
A strange and terrible look came to the face of the old Arab. His eyesglittered with a deadly light.
"Do you swear that my men did this?"
"Yes."
"Then to you I swear that each and every one of them shall pay thepenalty of their treachery with his life! That is the oath of Ras alHad! Do you hear me!"
"I hear, but----"
"You shall see that I keep it. Trust me again. With a word I might haveset these men upon you to beat the life from your weak body. Why did Inot speak that word?"
"I don't know," confessed Dick, "unless it was in order that you mighthave the satisfaction of deceiving me and betraying me again."
"If I leave you now, they will fall on you. I will remain by you andtake you to a place of safety. I will prove to you that I am honest.More than that, I will find the maiden and restore her to you."
"Can--can you do it?"
"I have given my pledge. Lean on my arm. No one will place the weight ofa finger on you while you are with me."
They walked away, the old sheik supporting the boy and questioning him.Dick related everything that had taken place. As well as possible hedescribed the appearance of the old Turk who had joined the escort sentby Ras al Had to conduct the boy and girl back to their friends.
"I think I know the man," nodded
the sheik. "I am sure I know him."
"But your servants--you can force the truth from them."
"I doubt if I behold any one of them for many days to come. Withoutdoubt they were well paid for what they did, and they will endeavor tokeep beyond my reach, for they know the meaning of my wrath. Yet theyshall not escape me in the end."
"But it is the girl--it is poor Nadia I am thinking of!" groaned Dick."She may be dragged into a harem."
"Has she friends of influence in your country?"
"Yes. She----"
"You must appeal to the American consul. In the meantime I will be atwork. Hast forgotten that she fell beneath the covetous eye of HafsaPasha?"
"No! I believe that wretch is behind this dirty piece of work! If so,I'll have his life!"
"It is not likely she will be taken into a harem until the man whocaused her capture learns what is going to be done about it. She will bekept somewhere for the time being. If you have influence enough tocreate a great disturbance about it, some day she will be set free insome remote part of the city. It will be claimed that she was capturedand held for ransom by brigands. You know such a thing has happened tosome of your American missionaries. If her disappearance causes no greatdisturbance, then the man into whose power she has fallen may add her tohis harem. For a few days, however, I believe she is safe. For hercaptors will not dare injure her."
To a slight degree these words relieved Dick. Of course he was stillgreatly distressed over what had happened to Nadia; but if she was notimmediately dragged into a harem, there might be plenty of opportunityto frustrate any designs upon her.
Dick's brain was growing clearer and his body stronger. He no longerbelieved that Ras al Had was concerned in bringing about the misfortunethat had befallen Nadia.
"Forgive me, sheik, for striking you as I did," he entreated. "I askyour pardon in all humbleness. I was infuriated with the conviction thatyou had betrayed us."
"Say no more of that. I should have accompanied you, for then no harmwould have befallen you. I feel that I am responsible; and, feelingthus, I shall leave no stone unturned to aid you. This way, we will finda conveyance at the corner. When you have reached your friends, lose notime in laying the case before your consul. He will know the best courseto pursue; but meanwhile Ras al Had will be working faithfully for you."