the outer ring of politicians who have access to Feisul and seek to
control him, but are not really in his confidence. Damascus is simply a
network of spies of that kind--men who attached themselves to the Arab
cause when it looked like winning and are now busy transferring their
allegiance.

"I think I could name the man who wrote this; I think I know the man
who wrote that magnifique. If I'm right, Yussuf Dakmar will notify the
French tonight through their agents in Jerusalem. The man who wrote
that magnifique will know before morning that the letter's missing; and
it doesn't matter how careful I may be, it'll be known as soon as I
start for Damascus.

"They'll dope out that our obvious course would be to confront Feisul
with this letter. The only way to travel is by train; the roads are
rotten--in fact, no auto could get through; they'd tip off the
Bedouins, who'd murder everybody.

"So they'll watch the trains and especially Haifa, where everyone going
north has to spend the night; and they'll stop at nothing to get the
letter back, for two reasons; as long as it's in our hands it can be
used to establish proof of the plot against Feisul; once it's back in
theirs, they can keep it in their secret dossier to use against Feisul
if they ever catch him and bring him to trial. You remember the Dreyfus
case?

"I shall start for Damascus by the early train--probably take an auto as
far as Ludd. If I want to live until I reach Damascus I shall have to
prove conclusively that I haven't that letter with me. Anyone known to
be in British service is going to be suspected and, if not murdered,