But who thought any more of Armenians when the outer spurs of the foot-hills began to close around us?  Not we, at any rate.  We had problems enough of our own.  What lay behind us was behind, and the future was likely to afford us plenty to think about!  Too many of us had fought among the slopes of the Himalayas now to know how difficult it would be for Turks to follow us; but those mountaineers, who are nearly as fierce as our mountaineers of northern India, and who have ever been too many for the Turks, were likely to prove more dangerous than anything we had met yet.

We had enough food packed on our captured mules to last us for perhaps another eight days when we at last rode into a grim defile that seemed to lead between the very gate-posts of the East—­two great mountains, one on either hand, barren, and ragged, and hard.  We were being led at that time by a Kurdish prisoner, who had lain by the wayside with the bellyache.  Our Greek doctor had physicked him, and he was now compelled to lead us under Ranjoor Singh’s directions, with his hands made fast behind him, he riding on a mule with one of our men on either hand.  By that time Ranjoor Singh had picked up enough information at different times, and had added enough of it together to know whither we must march, and the Kurd had nothing to do but obey orders.

We had scarcely ridden three hundred yards into the defile of which I speak, remarking the signs of another small body of mounted men who had preceded us, when fifty shots rang out from overhead and we took open order as if a shell had burst among us.  Nobody was hit, however, and I think nobody was intended to be hit.  I saw that Ranjoor Singh looked unalarmed.  He beckoned for Abraham, who looked terrified, and I took Abraham by the shoulder and brought him forward.  There came a wild yell from overhead, and Ranjoor Singh made Abraham answer it with something about Wassmuss.  In the shouting that followed I caught the word Wassmuss many times.

Presently a Kurdish chief came galloping down, for all the world as one of our Indian mountaineers would ride, leaping his horse from rock to rock as if he and the beast were one.  I rode to Ranjoor Singh’s side, to protect him if need be, so I heard what followed, Abraham translating.

“Whence are ye?” said the Kurd.  “And whither?  And what will ye?” They are inquisitive people, and they always seem to wish to know those three things first.

“I have told you already, I ride from Farangistan, [Footnote:  Europe] and I seek Wassmuss.  These are my men,” said Ranjoor Singh.

“No more may reach Wassmuss unless they have the money with them!” said the Kurd, very truculently.  “Two days ago we let by the last party of men who carried only talk.  Now we want only money!”

“Who was ever helped by impatience?” asked Ranjoor Singh.

“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!”