Talbot Mundy

“ Narayan Singh stayed out in the hall and looked them over. There is something in the make-up of the Sikh that, while it gives him to understand the strength and weaknesses of almost any alien race, yet constrains him more or less to the policeman’s view-point. It isn’t a moral view-point exactly; he doesn’t invariably disapprove; but he isn’t deceived as to the possibilities, and yields no jot or tittle of the upper hand if he can only once assume it. There was scant love lost between him and old Ali Baba. ”

“ The only safe thing I know is to follow opportunity and leave the man behind to do the worrying. More people die lingering, ghastly deaths in armchairs and in bed than anywhere.
So I spoke of squeamishness and second thoughts with all the scorn that a man can use who hasn’t yet tasted the enmity of the desert and felt the fear of its loneliness; and Grim, who never wastes time arguing with folk who don’t intend to be convinced, laughed and got up. ”

“ If an Arab loves one thing more than a standing argument, it is that same thing sitting down.
“We go against Ali Higg. That is no light matter. He will send his men against us, and that is no light matter either. They are heretics without hope of paradise and bent on seeing hell before their time! Surely they will come to loot our camp in the dark. Shall we not defend ourselves?”
But Grim was not disposed to stumble into any traps.
“Does a loaded camel on the level trouble about hills?” he asked.
But Ali Baba waved the question aside as irrelevant.
“They come. We defend ourselves. ”

“ As long as the Lion of Petra has a desert all about him and a choice of caves, a camel within reach, and enough health to keep him feeling normal, never mind whose camel it is, nor what power claims to control the desert, there will be trouble for somebody and sport for him. ”

“ Far-sighted men with the desert smell on them, which is more subtly stirring and romantic than all other smells, kept coming in to squat on the rugs in the library and talk with Grim about desert trails and water and what tribal feuds were in full swing and which were in abeyance. ”

“ This man”—he pointed to me—“gets no pay at all. Narayan Singh the Sikh gets less pay than a policeman.”
“Then what is the profit?”
“For you? The honor of keeping your word. The privilege of making fair return for past immunity. Why aren’t you and all your sons in jail this minute? Why did I invite you to come with me on this occasion? Because a man looks for friends where he has given favors! But if you consider you owe the Administration nothing for forgiving all past offences, very well; I’ll look for friends elsewhere.” ”

“ No lions live at Petra nowadays, at any rate no four-legged ones; none could have survived competition with the biped. Unquestionably there were tamer, gentler, less assertive lions there once, real yellow cats with no worse inconveniences for the casual stranger than teeth, claws and appetites. ”

“ You and your men are going to have Government rifles served out to you that you’ll have to account for afterward. Every rifle missing when we get back, and every scrap of loot you lay your hands on will be charged double against your Hebron property. On the other hand, if any camels die you shall be reimbursed. ”