Page:Harold Lamb--The House of the Falcon.djvu/280

 the dismantled beams on the tower top. The girl snuggled close to him.

"I don't like this—this silence," she whispered.

"Oh, it's quite to be expected, Edith. Monsey is checkmated for a moment. Our side had a good inning. His men probably are disturbed by the failure of their plans and our appearance in the tower. These natives are superstitious. They must have been startled by my voice—"

"Please, you are just trying to say nice things. That is what I tried to tell you a little while ago."

Donovan, however, had been reasoning aloud. His mind was alert. He was disappointed by the complete withdrawal of the Sayaks—as the quiet of the plateau seemed to hint. What was Monsey doing? He knew the Russian would not leave them unmolested in the tower.

If scaling ladders were being prepared, he would have heard some noise. And if his enemies did not plan to rush the tower summit from without, what were their intentions? To wait for daylight?

It was not likely, Donovan thought.

Dawn would give an advantage to Monsey, for the defenders of the tower would then be visible. On the other hand, delay would bring Major Fraser-Carnie and Arthur Rand nearer to Yakka Arik. No, Monsey would hardly wait.

Edith did not try to think. She was resting against Donovan, thankful for the interval of peace with him at her side. The peril of the Kurgan seemed to draw further off.

"Dearest, this is our hour of peace," she heard him say. "God—it will be short. Brave heart that you are!"