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Updated: May 2, 2025
"I shall fight the thousand men that Wassmuss sends. If they conquer me they will take the gold and your hostages as well." The Kurd looked amazed. Then he looked thoughtful. Then acquisitive very acquisitive indeed. It seemed to me that he contemplated fighting us first, before the Wassmuss men could come. But Ranjoor Singh understood him better.
"You have lost my hostage, and I hold yours," he told the Kurd, "so now, if you want yours back you must pay whatever price I name for them!" "Who am I to pay a price?" the Kurd demanded. "I have neither gold nor goods, nor anything but three hundred men!" "Where are thy men?" asked Ranjoor Singh. "Within an hour's ride," said the Kurd, "watching for the men who come from Wassmuss."
Gooja Singh, it seemed, probably not believing we had one chance in a million, decided to contrive safety for himself. So with one Kurd to help him, he escaped in the night, and went and found Wassmuss in a Kurdish village in the mountains. He told Wassmuss who we were, and whence we were, and what we intended.
There is no doubt Wassmuss was prisoner among the Kurds, nor any doubt either that he directs all the uprising and raiding and disaffection in Kurdistan and Persia. As Ranjoor Singh said of him a remarkable man, and not to be despised. Seeing no Wassmuss, it occurred to me at last to listen to orders! Ranjoor Singh was shouting to me as if to burst his lungs.
He was a little keen man, with, a thin face and prominent nose; not ill-looking, but extremely acquisitive, I should say. "Wassmuss holds my brother hostage!" he answered grimly, as if he had just then thought of it.
"Tell Wassmuss whatever lies you like, and make your peace with your own folk however you can. Here is your paper back." Tugendheim took the paper. "Let me go with you!" he urged. "It will be rope or bullet for me if ever I get back to Germany!" "Nevertheless," said Ranjoor Singh, "I promised to deliver you to Wassmuss when we made you prisoner in the first place. I must keep my word to you!"
"The Turks have spared no army for one section of the Persian frontier, choosing to depend on savage tribes. And the Germans have given them Wassmuss to help out." "Ah!" said I, making ready to learn at last who Wassmuss might be. "When we have found this Wassmuss, are we to make him march with us like Tugendheim?"
"Nay," said the Kurd, "we are a patient folk! We have waited eighteen days for sight of this gold for Wassmuss. It should have been here fifteen days ago, so Wassmuss said, but we are willing to wait eighteen more. Until it comes, none else shall pass!" I was watching Ranjoor Singh very closely indeed, and I saw that he saw daylight, as it were, through darkness.
"I have a German prisoner here," said Ranjoor Singh, with the nearest approach to a smile that he had permitted himself yet, "and Wassmuss will be very glad to exchange him against your brother when the time comes." "Ah!" said the Kurd, and "Ah!" said Ranjoor Singh. He saw now which way the wind blew, and, like all born cavalry leaders, he pressed his advantage.
I knew now that my back was toward Gallipoli, where the nearest British were, yet my heart felt bold with love for Ranjoor Singh and I did not doubt we would strike a good blow yet for our friends, although I had no least idea who Wassmuss was, nor whither we were marching. If I had known eh, but listen, sahib this is a tale of tales!
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