Mustapha shakes his head.

"Monsieur forgets. I had given my word. An Arab will never break that.
But I let him go after a few kicks, which, you see I have learned to
give from the Franks. He will not go back. He now becomes an open ally
of Bab Azoun, the desert tiger."

"Well--"

"Monsieur, one word more. He could not tell me all, but gave me to
understand that Bab Azoun was in the employ of another party, some Frank
who loves revenge."

This opens up a new vista. John is visibly agitated by the news.

"I believe I see light; the hand of Pauline Potter is behind it all."

"Monsieur, pardon."

"Well, what is it now?"

"From all he said I was inclined to believe it was a man who bought Bab
Azoun."

"Yes, yes; but you see he may have been mistaken. Besides, Blunt fought
like a tiger. It does not matter just now. What we want to do is to
rescue them all."

"That is right."