In a Curio Shop in Stamboul

Half an hour's searching through the chaos of wares failed to reveal the
choice daggers which Mohammed wished them to see, and with many
apologies for added annoyance he begged Monsieur and Madame to mount
yet another flight, and visit yet another store-room. At the head of
these stairs they encountered absolute darkness and the shopman, with
his ever-ready apologies, paused again to light lamps.

As Pagratide's pupils accustomed themselves to the murk he realized that
this last room was bare except for tapestries hung flat against the
wall, and that at its farther side narrow slits of light showed along
the sills of two doors. Turning, he noted the darker shadow of some
recess in the wall, immediately to his left.

Suddenly Mohammed Abbas closed the door upon the stairs, and sharply
clapped his hands. In all lands where Allah is worshiped, clapping of
the hands is a signal of summons. Thrusting his hand into the pocket
where he had stored an automatic pistol, Karyl found it empty, and
remembered that on the stairway the merchant had apologized for jostling
him. Then simultaneously the two opposite doors opened and framed
against their light a momentary picture of crowding Arabs.

* * * * *

Outside, Benton had been searching. First he had felt only annoyance for
a chance separation, but when ten minutes of futile wandering had
lengthened to fifteen, annoyance gave way to fear, and fear to panic. A
dozen tragic stories of mysterious disappearances in Stamboul crowded
like nightmares upon his memory. At last, standing bewildered in the
street, he caught sight of a familiar figure; a figure that filled him
with astonishment and delight.