Dick Merriwell's Pranks Part 34

One of the men below was speaking again.

"They say this thing started over the unwarranted murder of an exiled Pasha."

"That's the report, and I was told a few minutes ago that the mob declares the murderers of the Pasha are in this very hotel. That is why it has been singled out as the first point of attack."

"I've heard more than that," declared the first speaker. "I understand that the real cause of all this trouble is an American girl, stopping here. She must be an adventuress, for they say she got gay with the Pasha who was murdered, and decoyed him to the place where he was a.s.sa.s.sinated. I've seen the girl, too."

"You have?"

"Yes. She's here in company with her brother. Has been here several days. Day before yesterday two boys and an old man joined them."

"Oh, I've noticed that party. And they say this girl caused all the trouble?"

"Yes. Some of the rest of the party were concerned in the murder of the Pasha. The crowd outside is demanding that this girl and her friends be given up. If the proprietor will surrender them it is possible the rest of us may escape with our lives."

"Then we had better unite in urging him to give that party up. It's a case of self-preservation, and--"

"I favor it myself."

d.i.c.k had slipped quietly down the stairs, and now he suddenly confronted the two men. His face was pale, but his dark eyes flashed.

"I have a few words to say to you," he said, his voice low but clear and steady. "I don't know where you hail from, but I do know that you are two of the most contemptible cowards it has ever been my bad fortune to chance upon. No one but cowards would think of surrendering an innocent and helpless girl into the hands of a maddened and murderous mob, like the one outside this hotel."

Having expressed himself in this manner, the fearless American lad stood squarely facing them both.

There was a hush.

Outside the mob was heard muttering sullenly.

The two men gazed at d.i.c.k in surprise. One was a tall man, the other decidedly below medium height.

"Why-why--" gasped the short man, and then choked, as if unable to find further words.

The tall man shook himself together.

"Look here, you insolent young puppy," he exclaimed, "how dare you come here and use such language to us?"

"Yes," put in the short man, with an attempt at bl.u.s.ter, "how dare you?"

"I do not think there is much to fear from two men who would deliberately talk of surrendering an innocent girl into the hands of a murderous mob," retorted Merriwell.

"Innocent girl!" sneered the tall man.

"Yes, innocent! Be careful, sir! I'm only a boy, but I know the girl, and another insulting slur from your lips will be resented in a manner you will not like."

Both men were astonished.

"Why, I believe he would tackle us both!" muttered the short man.

"You know the girl, do you?" said the tall one, overlooking d.i.c.k's threat, as if he did not consider it worth noticing further. "And you claim she is innocent?"

"I happen to know."

"Didn't she decoy the Pasha to the house where he was murdered?"

d.i.c.k's lips curled.

"Instead of that, sir, she was seized while walking on the street, her escort a.s.saulted and knocked down, and the ruffians imprisoned her in a house. Where were you yesterday that you heard nothing of this?"

"We made a trip into the country outside the city," explained the little man.

"It happens that I was the one accompanying her when she was seized and carried off," added d.i.c.k. "By chance this girl, who is perfectly innocent of wrongdoing, fell beneath the notice of Hafsa Pasha, a bad man, who resolved to add her to his harem. He was baffled, and he deserved the fate he met. However, none of our party had anything to do with that. He was killed by an old enemy, whom he had bitterly wronged.

These are the facts, gentlemen. Now, in order to save your fine necks you talk about turning her over to that snarling pack of wolves at the door! I am ashamed of you both!"

In spite of his youth he made them feel ashamed of themselves.

"Oh, well, oh, well," said the little man apologetically; "we didn't understand, you know. If we had--"

"But I don't fancy being talked to in this manner by a mere boy,"

growled the other.

"I didn't expect you would fancy it," said d.i.c.k, with continued boldness. "Lots of people do not fancy being told the plain truth. Often it cuts to the quick. If you wish to do what you can to save yourselves, be prepared to fight for your lives if the mob breaks in here, but do not talk of surrendering a girl to be murdered by that pack of maddened beasts. On the contrary, you should be ready to defend her with your last drop of blood."

Having scorched them in this manner, d.i.c.k turned and remounted the stairs.

The tall man made a move as if to stop him, but checked himself.

Barely had d.i.c.k disappeared when a figure advanced quickly from the shadows at the rear of the hall and spoke in a low tone to the two men.

"I beg your pardon," said a soft voice, with a p.r.o.nounced accent that seemed to proclaim him either a Spaniard or an Italian. "I happened to overhear a part of your conversation with that boy. I know him."

The stranger was slim and dark, with a slight mustache, which curled upward at the ends. He had coal-black eyes, which were very restless and very piercing. His hands were small and slim, almost womanish.

The two men looked at him in some surprise. As they did not speak at once he went on hurriedly:

"It seems that I arrived in Damascus just in time to get into this unfortunate trap, from which not one of us may escape with our lives. I am just here. I would I were elsewhere. I know that boy-know him most exceedingly well. He is a thorough rascal. He was compelled to leave England in a hurry to escape imprisonment for robbery. He is a card sharp, although, on account of his years, he does not, to strangers, seem to be such. That is why he deceives the great number of people with such perfect ease. In Italy he was concerned with a very dangerous and desperate band of criminals, and from that country he hurried with much haste to avoid punishment. Since then he has been wandering about in various lands, accompanied by another boy and an old man, who are his accomplices. They tell that the old man is the tutor and guardian of the boys, but this I do a.s.sure you is a fabrication."

"Well!" gasped the little man, in astonishment.

"Well!" exclaimed the tall man, bewildered.

"Gentlemen," said the stranger, "I a.s.sure you that I know perfectly well the complete truth of all I have said. They are traveling under false names, having somehow secured the pa.s.sports of the parties they pretend to be. The only thing of truth that I heard fall from that boy's lips as I listened was his statement that the girl is innocent. She, however, with her brother, who is not strong and may be easily influenced, has fallen into the clutches of these three rascals. Without doubt they sought to use the girl as a tool to trap the Pasha who was murdered. I doubt not that they led the Pasha to believe there would be no trouble in case he seized the girl and made her an inmate of his harem. I believe it probable that they secured a large sum of money from the Pasha-and then they murdered him.

"Now, gentlemen, if, instead of giving up the girl to the mob, you will get together, seize the real culprits, tell the maddened people the truth, and surrender them, you will be doing your duty, and nothing more."

The listeners gasped again.

"Most amazing!" said the little man.