Read Dick Merriwell's Pranks; Or, Lively Times in the Orient Page 16

  CHAPTER XVI--THE SWORD IS STAINED

  Nadia Budthorne had wept until the fount of tears seemed dry. She hadbeaten with her hands against the heavy door of her prison room untilher knuckles streamed blood. She had shouted and screamed until she sankexhausted to the floor.

  How much time had passed she knew not. When a tray of food was slippedinto the room she had no knowledge of the occurrence. She first saw iton the floor near the door, but not a morsel did she touch.

  She lay prone and helpless and despairing when a rustling sound startledand aroused her. She rose swiftly on one hand, and then a cry ofastonishment escaped her pale lips, for before her stood a beautifulgirl. Behind the stranger the door was silently closing.

  "Who--who--are--you?" asked Nadia hoarsely.

  "Your friend," was the answer, in a softly sympathetic voice.

  "Friend? You are a stranger."

  "Still I am your friend. Let me help you."

  "Your voice!" muttered Nadia. "It seems familiar, somehow, and yet--I'venever seen you before."

  The strange girl assisted Nadia to rise, and led her to a couch. She wasmuch larger than Nadia, and seemed somewhat older.

  "My poor child!" she murmured. "How you have suffered!"

  "Oh, how I have suffered!" moaned Nadia. "But why are you here? I do notunderstand it. You--you are English or American. You cannot be----"

  "Hush! Do not speak so loud."

  "No one can hear us. I have screamed until I lost my voice. Theseterrible walls smother all sounds."

  The strange girl was looking around searchingly. Leaving Nadia, she madea quick circuit of the room, searching the walls with her eyes. Shepaused to try the door and then returned to the couch.

  "Listen," she whispered, lifting her finger warningly. "Keep your nervenow. Do not utter a cry. I am here to save you."

  Nadia showed her incredulity.

  "To save me?" she whispered back. "How can that be? Who are you?"

  "One of your best friends."

  "I will not believe it! It is another trick!"

  "It is no trick, as far as you are concerned. It may be a trick on HafsaPasha."

  "Then he----"

  "You are his captive."

  "I knew it! The monster! If my brother--if Brad and Dick find this outhe shall suffer!"

  "If you promise to do just as I direct I will save you from that man."

  "How can you? You are only a woman."

  "That's what I appear to be."

  "You cannot be more than nineteen."

  "Younger than that," was the reply. "Still I will save you."

  "It's impossible! They brought you here to deceive me!"

  "That's correct. Old Hafsa did it himself, but he is the one deceived.To-night he paid a handsome price for me, with the idea of adding me tohis harem. Oh, I must laugh! I must! Where's my handkerchief! Let mesmother the sound!"

  The strange girl stuffed her handkerchief into her mouth and laugheduntil her face was fairly purple. Her whole body shook with merriment.

  Nadia's bewilderment increased.

  "I don't know why you laugh. It's a fearful thing to be imprisoned in aharem. Hafsa Pasha has bought you, and you must submit to him. You mustbe a faithful wife, imprisoned within a harem."

  "Oh, a fine old wife I'll make!" chuckled the other. "Oh, dear! It's amighty dangerous lark, but it's awful funny, just the same."

  Suddenly Nadia clutched her companion's shoulder.

  "Tell me who you are!" she commanded.

  "All right. Keep your nerve. Don't utter a sound. Are you ready?"

  Nadia nodded.

  "I am Dick Merriwell."

  The girl almost fainted.

  "Dick?" she gasped--"Dick? Impossible! Yet--yet I believe you--you are!Why, how----"

  "Can't explain in full. Fooled old Hafsa. If Ras al Had does not fail mewe'll have you out of this before morning. If Hafsa only knew----"

  A sound behind him caused Dick to turn and spring up.

  The door had opened to admit Hafsa Pasha himself, and his face wascontorted with rage. He glared at Dick.

  "So you did fool me, did you?" he snarled. "You thought I could not hearyour words, but there is a place in this wall where a person listeningoutside may hear and understand the softest whisper spoken here. Youdeceived me, but it will cost you your life!"

  He drew a knife.

  From some part of his clothes Dick Merriwell whipped forth a heavyrevolver, which he leveled at the Turk's heart.

  "Halt right where you are!" he commanded clearly. "Another step and I'lldrill a hole through your dastardly heart! I came prepared for anyemergency."

  Hafsa Pasha uttered a cry. It was answered somewhere outside the room.

  But at that moment there came from a distant portion of the house thesound of heavy, crashing blows.

  The Turk turned pale.

  "What's that?" he gasped.

  "I have an idea it is Ras al Had," said Dick. "Stop! Stand in yourtracks! Try to leave the room and I'll drop you!"

  The noise ended in one great crash. Then came the soft shuffle of manyunbooted feet.

  "Hither, sheik!" cried Dick.

  There was a struggle outside, smothered cries, a fall. Then Ras al Had,backed by several black men, together with Brad Buckhart and DunbarBudthorne, appeared at the door.

  "Still safe, boy?" said the old Arab. "I dared not wait. I had locatedthe maiden's prison, and I sent one of my servants to bring her friendsfrom the hotel. Then the carriage came, and I saw you enter, accompaniedby him. I feared longer delay would be fatal for you. We broke down thedoor. It seems that we entered just in time."

  Hafsa Pasha was yellow with rage.

  "You old scum of the desert!" he cried. "You are behind it all! It isyour trick!"

  "I have not forgotten the fate of my brother, Pasha. His blood stillcries aloud for vengeance."

  "I'll send you to join him!"

  The Turk had held the drawn knife hidden at his side. Now he made apantherish leap toward the sheik and struck with the weapon.

  Ras al Had threw up his arm. The blade was driven through the muscles ofthe forearm, but with a sweep the Arab sent Hafsa Pasha reeling.

  At the same time he unsheathed his sword.

  When the Turk recovered and sprang forward again he was met by thesheik, who drove the keen sword straight through Hafsa Pasha's body.

  Brad Buckhart had reached Nadia, and she fainted in his arms.