Dick Merriwell's Pranks Part 62

"How does that concern me?"

"You know you are concerned. In Damascus it is said an American adventuress ensnared Hafsa Pasha, and her friends killed him."

"Which is a wretched story to hide the truth that Hafsa Pasha brutally seized and imprisoned an American girl. The story is told to s.h.i.+eld the Pasha in case the affair should be too closely investigated."

"Perhaps so; but you know by experience that the people of Damascus believe it, for you were compelled to flee from the city in disguise to escape the enraged Moslems. Had you fallen into the hands of that mob you would have been torn limb from limb."

"Still you-fine gentleman that you are-threatened to deliver me over, and, to prevent you, d.i.c.k Merriwell and Brad Buckhart seized, bound and gagged you and fastened you in a closet of the German hotel!"

"My dear Nadia, I had no thought of permitting you to fall into the hands of the mob; but I did wish to bring those fool boys to terms by frightening them."

"You found them boys you could not frighten."

"They are young idiots! They do not know enough to be afraid!"

"You followed us after we escaped from the city."

"And overtook you, too, aided by the Bedouins I engaged."

"You did not overtake Dunbar and me."

"But I did overtake Merriwell, Buckhart and that old fool professor."

"Yes. Then you had d.i.c.k Merriwell stripped and were on the point of having him cruelly whipped. You threatened to have him sold into slavery in Arabia."

"Which would have been his fate only for the unlucky appearance of that old devil of a sheik, Ras al Had. He turned up with his followers at the wrong moment."

"At the right moment!" cried Nadia. "The whipping you intended for Merriwell you received yourself."

Bunol's face flushed.

"Yes," he said, in a low, fierce tone. "The scars are on my back, and I shall bear them to the grave."

"Retribution!"

"The end is not yet. I have sworn to make Merriwell suffer, even as I suffered!"

"That shows your true nature and the blackness of your heart, for it was not d.i.c.k Merriwell that caused you to be whipped. Ras al Had was the one. d.i.c.k interfered, or you would have been lashed until you fainted."

"Why did he interfere? I know! It was because he feared I would be so weakened by the punishment that I would not be able to stand the journey to Arabia. He left me with those Bedouins, who were commanded to take me out of Syria and sell me into slavery in Arabia. He intended that I should perish a wretched slave of black men."

"Which was the fate you had chosen for him and would have forced on him, only for the fortunate coming of the sheik. Do you never think that there is such a thing as retributive justice? I shuddered and was sorry for you when I learned what had happened. But now-now my only regret is that you escaped!"

"Well, I did escape, and I am here-to wreak vengeance on Merriwell!"

"And it was Ras al Had who commanded the Bedouins to carry you into captivity, not Merriwell. Merriwell did not know of the sheik's order until he was far away and it was impossible for him to do anything."

"He has told you that, but he lied! He urged old Ras al Had to do it! I know him, for did he not try to murder me in the tent of the Bedouin chief?"

"When you had goaded him beyond endurance by your taunts and your threats of whipping and slavery. You thought he would not touch you, because he has wonderful command of his temper; but you found out your mistake when he fastened his hands on your throat."

"He told you of that? He boasted of it?"

"Never a word of it have I received from him. Brad Buckhart told me."

"That fellow? Well, what I have in store for him is only second to what shall befall Merriwell. I was not carried into captivity. I am here, and I have struck a blow. The end will come soon."

"How you escaped I do not know, but--"

"I will tell you. I know many Turks of influence. I have had dealings with the Turkish secret police, and--"

"Through your lies the secret police compelled d.i.c.k, Brad and Professor Gunn to leave Constantinople," interrupted Nadia.

The Spaniard smiled in a satisfied manner.

"I think the information I furnished led to their being warned to leave the city," he bowed. "Let me go on. Knowing a number of Turkish gentlemen of rank, I was able to impress old Ali Beha, the chief of the Bedouins, who had been commanded to sell me into slavery. I saw my only hope was to bribe and frighten the ignorant old chief into releasing me.

That was no simple matter, for Ali Beha feared the sheik, Ras al Had.

However, all the wires I worked as best I knew how. I talked to Ali Beha and told him how, if my Turkish friends ever learned what had happened, they would be furious and seek to have him punished. I told him that Ras al Had was now an outcast, having slain Hafsa Pasha. I told him he was aiding the accomplices of Ras al Had to escape, which would enrage the sultan when he learned what had taken place. I offered bribes and made promises. Ali Beha seemed immovable, and I was in despair.

"Think of me, a helpless captive, believing I was doomed to slavery in burning Arabia! The thought of such a fate maddened me. I nearly lost my reason. At times I raved and prayed. But through it all I kept saying I would live to be revenged on d.i.c.k Merriwell."

"It was the fate you first devised for him," said the girl, "and your suffering was your punishment."

Bunol snapped his fingers.

"Whenever I recovered from those fits of despair," he continued, "something seemed to whisper in my ear that there was yet hope and that I would not become a slave. I did not know Ali Beha had sent two of his men on fleet horses to Damascus to investigate my statements; but this was what he had done. He waited for those men to return. They came back in time, and they informed him that it was true that Ras al Had had become an outcast, having slain Hafsa Pasha on account of an old score.

They also told the sheik that they had found I was known to the Turks I had claimed as my friends.

"Then Ali Beha's manner toward me underwent a change. I was no longer a captive. He escorted me to the nearest village and set me free. From that village I made all haste to reach the port of Akka, believing Merriwell would take flight from Syria as soon as he could. I did hope he would be detained; but at Akka I soon discovered he had found a way to get off in a steamer for Alexandria. Fortunately for him, news travels slowly in Syria, and the officials had not learned that he was suspected of having something to do with the murder of Hafsa Pasha.

Either that was the case, or the Turks, knowing he had not really committed the crime, were willing that he should get away. The latter supposition may be the truth. I confess that I am half inclined to so regard it. Later I will explain why.

"Well, I followed to Alexandria, and from that port I traced Merriwell to Cairo. Arriving at Cairo, I met Medjid Bey. He had been cruising in his own yacht, on which we now are. It happened that I had met Medjid Bey before in Syria, where I did him a special favor, which he had not forgotten. I lost no time in telling him all that had happened in Syria.

He was interested. I could not keep watch of you and your friends without running great risks of detection. He agreed to watch you."

"And he is the man who annoyed me so much!"

"Exactly, my dear. He informed me that you had observed him and grown suspicious of him. While he was watching you we had sent word to Damascus that Merriwell and Buckhart, the two American boys who were present when Hafsa Pasha was slain, had been located in Cairo. We waited for Turkish officials to come to arrest them.

"But I found Merriwell was growing restless. I feared he would somehow learn that I was near. In case he did so learn, it was likely he would take flight. I have had some experience in following him, and I know he is most baffling. He vanishes like a shadow, and he seems to leave no track behind. Besides, my dear, I did not mean to lose you again. Then I finally induced Medjid Bey to carry out a little scheme at the first opportunity. The opportunity came to-day, while you were out walking with your brother. We seized you, and it was our intention to take your brother also, but he fled. Now you know why you are brought here."

"I don't know!" cried Nadia pa.s.sionately. "I don't understand! What can you hope to accomplish?"

"I can keep Merriwell from taking flight. He will follow you. In Cairo it is dangerous to strike; but in the wild country up the Nile I shall be able to wreak vengeance on him. The very fact that no officers were sent to arrest him made me determine to strike the blow myself. The officers might have reached here ere this, and so I reason that the Turkish government is glad to have him out of the country."

Nadia regarded the man with increased loathing and hatred.

"In the end you will meet your just deserts!" she cried.