Introduction
An untitled, unfinished story beginning “I emptied my revolver . . .”. It was never published during Howard’s lifetime.
The narrator and Yar Ali are overwhelmed by Arab attackers until El Borak arrives with a rescue charge.
Summary spoilers
The story opens in the midst of intense action as the narrator finds himself overwhelmed by a horde of Arab attackers after emptying his revolver. He falls to the ground but manages to grab an Arab, using him as a shield to fend off the attackers' blows. Just as the situation seems dire, Yar Ali, an Afridi warrior, leaps into the fray with a battle cry, wielding a long knife with deadly precision. His arrival turns the tide momentarily as he forces the Arabs back, allowing the narrator to rise and arm himself with a spear.
The battle intensifies as Yar Ali and the narrator, now fighting back-to-back, confront wave after wave of Arab warriors. The narrator describes the chaotic melee, filled with a blur of stabbing, slashing, and the cries of the fallen. Despite their exhaustion and injuries, they continue to hold their ground. The turning point comes with the sudden appearance of El Borak and his riders, who charge into the battlefield, dispersing the remaining Arab forces with a volley of gunfire.
Throughout the skirmish, the courage and martial prowess of Yar Ali and the narrator are highlighted, portraying them as heroes capable of standing against overwhelming odds. The arrival of El Borak suggests a broader context of conflict and alliance, hinting at a larger narrative left unexplored in the unfinished story.
Characters in this exact text
Textual witnesses & editorial mediation
These records describe how this textual state is known or represented. A witness may be authorial, editorially mediated, restored, transcribed or otherwise derived without becoming a new Howard-authored textual state.
https://reh.world/publications/?reh_publication=1310