"No. I need it. I lent mine this evening to another man, who has not
yet returned it. That was a piece of wood with which I held you up just
now. You must get yourself another."

"They are hard to come by in Jerusalem. Give me mine back."

"No. I shall keep it to protect myself against you."

"Why? You have no need to fear me if we work together."

"Because I intend to tell you what I know; and I may find it convenient
to shoot you if you betray the information."

"Oh! Well, tell away."

"I have been cleverer than you," Grim announced blandly. "I knew who
had given the order to the Sikh to steal that letter from you, and I was
concealed in his house when the letter was brought to him. I heard the
conference that followed, so I know what is going to be done about it."

"Oh! That was very smart. Well, tell me."

"Three men are going to take the letter to Damascus, but I don't know
which of them will have it on his person. One is an Arab. One is an
American. The third is that same Sikh who took the letter from you.
They will take the train from Ludd, and I have engaged myself as servant
to the American."

"Now that was extremely clever of, you!" said Yussuf Dakmar.