Page:Oriental Stories v01 n01 (1930-10).djvu/64

Afghan's fighting qualities, although they had seen from behind their hill his throwing away of the revolver—the camel-driver, the robber and two friends had gone to a cadi with their tearful tale. The cadi, to whom the splendid injunctions of the old Law of Mohamet meant nothing, inquired, first, concerning the wealth of the accused Afghan. When assured that he was a poor man, the cadi accepted money from the accusers, and ordered six men to arrest Ben Mohamet. . . .

Even then the tales of his prowess were in evidence, and the six men, with the four accusers, jumped Bugs and the deaf mute as they entered a narrow street. Bugs struggled only enough, for he knew that resistance would be worse than useless. He could have shot his way out, but that would have been worse still. That gun under his arm was his ace in the hole—to be kept unseen until circumstances compelled its use. He might have escaped from the ten men, but not from the hundreds the cadi would summon if he did so.

They were marched before the cadi, an increasing and derisive crowd with them. Above all the abusive voices rose that of the exultant camel-driver.

"Thief and murderer! Robber of the poor!" And the Arabic equivalent of "He who laughs last laughs best!"

Arabia, or that part of it, still conformed to the old and very fine law of Mahomet in the appointment of cadis. Such judges were ecclesiastical appointees, although not allowed to sit in judgment in mosques. But the splendidly ethical formula of appointment often failed lamentably in the men picked for appointment; and the cadi of Jidda was, to put it mildly, rotten.

He stroked his beard with portentous gravity.

"Who charges these men, and what is the charge?"

The exhausted Russian faltered, and would have fallen but for Bugs' supporting arm. Jubilantly the camel-driver stepped forward.

"Ah!" drawled Bugs. "The old creature himself. He who cleaned the filth out of the Ark for Noah, and who carried in the pigs and attended to their needs—because no decent Mohametan would do it!"

The fickle crowd cheered. And its enjoyment of the joke was not at all affected by the fact of Noah's antedating Mohamet and his religion by about two thousand years.

The cadi nodded gravely. "I observe that the prisoner does not love the accuser!" he said.

"He mocked me, he made me to be the scorn of men by his vile tongue. And then he slew the son of my father by his second wife. And then, trying to escape the law of the prophet and the justice of his cadi, he stole all my property—my camels. And, still trying to escape, he killed them by overwork! I call on God to witness that I speak truth! And I ask judgment on him, oh just and honest cadi!" shrieked the camel-driver.

"Stand farther away," Bugs spoke quickly. "Stand away—lest thy foul breath and many lies make the cadi sick!"

Another large laugh at the expense of the camel-driver.

The Russian leaned heavily on Bugs. Bugs, calling on his last ounce of will and strength, spoke gravely—playing what seemed to be his only card.

"I am the man of Abu Ali Al Hassen! This poor afflicted one is the cousin of Abu Ali Al Hassen, whom I am taking to Bombay!"

A roar of derision greeted the statement. A dozen voices roared that Ben