In the Mahdi's Grasp Part 51

The Emir's officer only stayed till he was satisfied that his prisoners fully understood the message, and then hurried out, followed by his men, for the noise and excitement outside were increasing fast. Trumpets were being blown, drums beaten, and there were all the sounds of a gathering force.

"What does all this mean?" asked the doctor.

"I hardly know, O Hakim," replied the Sheikh, who was gradually recovering his breath, "It is some jealous quarrel between the Emirs, and they will mount and ride out to the nearest part of the desert to gallop wildly here and there, firing guns, throwing spears, and shouting defiance at one another, till their horses and camels are tired out.

Then they will ride back, blowing trumpets and beating drums again, with each chief riding by his standard, looking proud, and behaving as if he had gained a great victory."

"Then it will be a kind of sham fight?" said Frank.

"No, Ben Eddin; it will be quite real, but they will not do each other much mischief, because there is nothing to gain. There is no spoil, and besides, they are all bound to obey the new Mahdi, who has bidden them to be at peace till the Egyptian forces are driven into the Nile."

"We are too late," said the Hakim grimly.

"What! Do you think our Emir will be conquered?" said the professor eagerly.

"No, but there will be work for us to-night or to-morrow morning with the wounded. Then how can we ask the Emir to let us go?"

"The great Hakim is right," said the Sheikh. "Hark!"

He held up his hand, and plainly enough the reports of guns and the shouting of combatants reached their ears, the fighting having already commenced, and evidently within the city, though as they waited the sounds grew more distant. But the dull trampling of unshod horses told of the pa.s.sing of mounted men, and Ibrahim went out to join the guard at the gate, for he was in an intense state of excitement for fear there should be any demand made upon his camels, which were peaceably munching in the enclosure at the end of the house.

Then came a couple of hours excited waiting for that which did not happen. For at every rush of hors.e.m.e.n along the road outside, the prisoners felt that the expected attack had come, and again and again the Sheikh came in to rea.s.sure them by announcing that it was only a party of the Emir's own men, for the chief had driven his enemies out of the city to the plain where the engagement was going on, but had left a strong troop of mounted men to ride to and fro to guard his house in support of the little party who had charge of the guests.

"The men think it will not be much, Excellencies, for another Emir is fighting for their chief, and they are too strong. It is like a rising against those chosen by the Khalifa, but I cannot tell much as yet."

But distant as the scene of the conflict was, the firing reached their ears till it was turning dusk, when it suddenly ceased, as if either one side was conquered or a mutually agreed cessation of hostilities had taken place.

The first definite news of the state of affairs reached the Emir's palace just when a considerable lapse of time had occurred without news, the last being of a kind to create anxiety, the Sheikh coming in from the gate to announce that a messenger had arrived at a gallop to summon the troop of horse, who had gone off leaving their guard looking careworn and anxious, while he forbore to speak.

And now the messenger who had suddenly galloped up to the entry, dashed in at once, flung his bridle to the Sheikh as he leapt down, and strode in to where the friends were anxiously waiting. All started and glanced at the open window, where a glimpse could be obtained of Ibrahim, to whom and his camels every thought was turned, as, without intercommunication, the same thought prevailed--flight, and would there be time to obtain their camels and make for the open desert before the victorious enemy arrived?

For the messenger, who came looking wild and excited, his flowing white garment covered with blood and dust, was the Hakim's last patient--the Emir's son.

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN.

ANOTHER PATIENT.

The young Baggara chief was evidently in a wild state of excitement, and turned at once to the professor, saying something in his own tongue, which the Englishman struggled hard but failed, in spite of his slight knowledge of the Baggara dialect, fully to grasp.

"I can't make him out," said the professor excitedly. "It is something about a terrible battle and defeat."

"He means us to escape for our lives," said the doctor excitedly. "Yes, look," he continued, for the young chief pointed to the window, nodded to the speaker, and hurried away.

"Quick!" said the professor; "stop for nothing. We must get to the camels, and take our chances."

As he spoke the young chief dashed in again, followed by the Sheikh, the panting horse having been handed over to one of the guard; and this time the young man crossed to Frank, laid his left hand upon the young man's shoulder, smiling proudly, and waving his right hand in the air as if cutting with his sword.

"The Emir's son bears the news, Excellencies, that there has been a great battle, and that his father and his friends have routed the rebellious ones, who have taken to flight, leaving many killed and wounded, and among these there is the Emir's greatest friend. He has been shot by a gun and is dying, but the Emir bids you be ready to bring him back to life, for he is like a brother and saved him from his treacherous foes."

"That's a modest demand for one evening, Robert, my son," said the professor, with a quaintly humorous look. "How do you feel?"

"As if I had been raising the expectations of these people till the time had come for their hopes to be dashed."

While he was speaking the triumphant blowing of trumpets and discordant beating of drums, heard faintly upon the evening air, announced the return of the victorious forces from what had doubtless been nothing much more serious than a slight skirmish. But it was serious enough for the friends.

"What is to be done?" said the professor. "We shall have to go to the dying man's place."

The Sheikh heard what was said, and turned to question the young chief at once.

"No, Excellencies," he said; "the Emir is having his brother chief borne to his own house. He will be brought to the palace here, and will not be long."

"Very well," said the Hakim gravely; "I will do my best. The instruments, Ben Eddin," he continued, "and what is necessary."

Sam was already at the door, and Frank joined him, to prepare all that would be required, while the young chief looked on, eager and smiling, but standing aloof from the Hakim as if in perfect confidence as to the result, but feeling a superst.i.tious dread of his power.

There was an interval of waiting then, with the sound of the instruments preceding the triumphant warriors coming nearer and nearer, till all at once the young chief nodded smilingly to Frank, said a few words to the Sheikh, and hurried out.

"What does that mean?" said the professor.

"He has gone to see how the chief is and will come to see you as soon as they have brought him in. He says--"

The Sheikh stopped short, and looked from one to the other as if perplexed.

"What does he say?" asked the doctor sternly.

"He said, O Hakim," replied the Sheikh humbly, "that he hoped his father's friend and brother was dead."

"He said that! Why? Is this an enemy?"

"No, Excellency; it is because others of the chief men and their doctors do not believe in you, and he wants to show them how great you are."

The professor uttered a groan and glanced in a horrified way at his old friend, who sat now on a rug, looking perfectly calm in what seemed to be an emergency.

"There is nothing to mind," he said. "The young man is superst.i.tious and ignorant, but his father is wise and our friend. Let us hope that the chief is not dead; but gun-shot wounds are more to be dreaded than a gash from a knife or spear. Be perfectly calm, both of you; there is nothing to mind."

"Of course not," said the professor, recovering himself now. "I was startled for the moment by that false alarm. No, there is nothing to mind, even if the other chiefs are sceptical. You have knowledge enough to win their respect."

Further conversation was put an end to by the coming of the Emir himself, with his son, who entered, hot and covered with dust, to say a few words to the Sheikh, who bowed humbly to hear them.

"The Emir bids me ask you to come and save his friend, O Hakim, but he fears that it is too late."

The doctor rose at once, signed to his followers, and then motioned to the Emir to lead on.

He drew back, however, and said a few words to his son, who led off at once, while the father walked quite humbly behind the great man to whom he owed his life.

Frank glanced wonderingly round as the little procession pa.s.sed out into a kind of hall whose floor was covered with Eastern rugs, and in which were grouped about some fifty armed men, who showed plenty of grim signs of having been in a serious fray. Then onward through a couple of rooms handsomely draped with curtains which gave them the appearance of tents, and into a much larger apartment, upon a broad divan in which, dimly shown by a couple of bra.s.s lamps, lay the insensible figure of a stalwart Baggara, the blackest they had yet seen, his glistening skin showing strangely in contrast with the white folds turned back from his broad chest, and hideously stained with blood.