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Updated: April 30, 2025
"For there is not enough here," said he. "Price?" said Tugendheim. "I have a handful of coins, and my uniform, and a sword. You left my baggage on the steamer " "Nay!" said Ranjoor Singh. "Your baggage came ashore in one of the boats. Where is it? Who has it?" A man stepped forward and pointed to it, lying in the shadow of the hut with the rain from the roof dripping down on it.
Whatever Ranjoor Singh had been saying to the men he had them back under his thumb for the time being; for when I told him of my discovery of the hut he called them to attention, turned them to the right, and marched them off as obedient as a machine, Tugendheim following like a man in a dream between his four guards and struggling now and then to loose the wet thongs that were beginning to cut into his wrists.
Men could scarcely eat for the joy of getting in sight of British lines again or rather for joy of the promise of it. They almost forgot to suspect Ranjoor Singh in that minute, but praised him to his face and even made much of Tugendheim.
I judged he had the physical strength of a buffalo, although doubtless short of wind. He had very little hair. Such as he had was yellow, but clipped so short that it looked white. His yellow mustache was turned up thus at either corner of his mouth; and the mouth was not unkind, not without good humor. "What is your name?" said I. "Tugendheim," said he. What do they call you?"
He came out in a minute or two and then we were marched out of the barrack in the dimming light, with Tugendheim in full marching order falling into step behind us and the senior German officer smoking a cigar beside Ranjoor Singh. A Kurdish soldier carried Tugendheim's bag of belongings, and Tugendheim kicked him savagely when he dropped it in a pool of mud.
Our Turkish prisoners laughed at us for not having stolen women, and Tugendheim vowed he had never seen such fools. But as it turned out, we had not long to wait.
And as for the Syrians-they had had a lifetime's experience of Turkish treatment, and had recently been taught to associate Germans with Turks; so if Tugendheim should meditate treachery it was unlikely his Syrians would join him in it.
So we took the hostages with us, and when we found a place between some rocks where they could have shelter we drove them in there, setting four troopers to guard them. Thus Tugendheim was kept in ignorance of their whereabouts, and with no guides to help him play us false. As for the Greek doctor, we took him with us, too, for we were likely to need his services that night, and in truth we did.
I never knew which trooper it was who raised that cry, although I went to some trouble to discover afterward. But I heard Gooja Singh laugh like a hyena; and I heard the click of cartridges being thrust into magazines. I was half minded to let them shoot, hoping they might hit Tugendheim. But the Turk freed his arms at last, and began struggling. "Look!" he said to me in English.
"True," said I. "For now the Turk advises plunder to right and left, and settlement afterward among Armenian villages. He says there are women to be had for the taking. 'Be a new nation! says he." "And what says Tugendheim?" asked Ranjoor Singh. "'Plunder!" said I. "'Plunder and push northward into Russia! The Russians will welcome you, says he, 'and perhaps accept me into their secret service!
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