"Moreover, consider this: You think I may take the gold and keep it.

How could I?
Having taken it from the Turks, should I ride back toward Turkey?
Whither else, then?
Shall I escape through Persia, with you and your Kurds to prevent?
Nay, we must make a fair bargain as friend with friend--and keep it!" "If I do as you say," said the Kurd, "if I take this letter to Wassmuss, and agree with him to escort those Germans across Persia, what, then, if you fail to get the gold?
What if the Turks get the better of you ?" "Dead men can not keep bargains!" answered Ranjoor Singh.

"I shall succeed or die.

But consider again: I have led these men of mine hither from Stamboul, deceiving and routing and outdistancing Turkish regiments all the way.

Shall I fail now, having come so far ?" "Insha' Allah!" said the Kurd, meaning, "If God wills." "Since when did God take sides against the brave ?" Ranjoor Singh asked him, and the Kurd said nothing; but I feared greatly because they seemed on the verge of a religious argument, and those Kurds are fanatics.