side of the Dead Sea," I answered.

"Did he?"

"Sure. I had part of a raided sheep for breakfast."

"Um-m-m! Well of all the--damn his impudence! The shrewd old
devil must have figured that we can't get after him for it,
seeing how he's playing our game. Bloody old horse-thief! Well,
he gets away with it, this time. You'll have to be mighty
careful not to seem to recognize me. One slip and we're done
for. You're safe enough. If they once get wise to me they'll
pull me in pieces between four horses."

"What's your plan?"

"It's vague yet. Got to be an opportunist. I'm supposed to
be a member of the ben Saoud family, recruiting members for
the new sect--biggest thing in Arabia. I'm invited to the
conference on the strength of my supposed connection with the
big Ichwan movement."

"D'you propose to murder this Abdul Ali person, then, or have him
murdered?" I asked.

"Uh-uh! Murder's out of my line. Besides, that'ud do no good.
Worse than useless. They'd all cut loose. Abdul Ali has got
them together. What with bribes and a lot of promises he has
them keen on this raid. If he were killed they'd say one of our
spies did it. They'd add vengeance to their other motives, which