battle with."

John's mind instantly hits upon flight as the cause for all this.

"Why do you speak so?"

"This wonderful soldier, he do it all; by the mighty power of his arm he
will overcome the hosts of Bab Azoun. Great is Allah, and Mohammed is
his prophet; but I have never seen such a thing before in all my life."

Then the exquisite, dry humor of the thing strikes John, and with such
force that he comes very near bursting with laughter.

He has not the slightest desire to do anything that will bring about a
change in the plan. So long as Lady Ruth is rescued from her unpleasant
position, it matters little what the means are.

Hence, he watches the development of matters with a keen interest. It is
not long before he is in a position to see that there is solid truth in
his suspicions. The actions of Sir Lionel confirm the fact that he has
been induced to compromise his honor in order to succeed with John as a
rival.

When the divine spark touches the heart, it causes men to do strange
things.

Here is one who in times past has been very jealous of his honor, and
would as soon cut off his hand as compromise himself. Yet, reduced to
sore straits by the success of a rival, he now descends the scale, and
schemes as cleverly as any rascally adventurer.