inhabitants are very much incensed, and all foreigners are in danger
--yourselves especially, since you have seen fit to travel in company
with such a person as Kagig."

"What has Peter Measel got to do with it?" demanded Fred. "Has he
been writing down all our sins in a new book?"

"He will identify you. He will also identify Kagig's agents. He
brings a personal charge against a man named Rustum Khan, who must
return to Tarsus to answer it. The charge is robbery with violence."

Rustum Khan snorted.

"The violence was only too gentle, and too soon ended. As for robbery,
if I have robbed him of a little self-conceit, I will answer to God
for that when my hour shall come! How is it your affair to drag
that whimpering fool through Asia at your tail--you a German and
he English?"

The German had a hot answer ready for that, but the Turks had discovered
Maga Jhaere in hiding in the shadows between two old women. She
screamed as they tried to drag her forth, and the scream brought
us all to our feet. But this time it was Kagig who was swiftest,
and we got our first proof of the man's enormous strength. Fred,
Will and I charged together round behind the newcomers' horses, in
order to make sure of cutting off retreat as well as rescuing Maga.
Monty leveled a pistol at the German's head. But Kagig did not waste
a fraction of a second on side-issues of any sort. He flew at the
German's throat like a wolf at a bullock. The German fired at him,
missed, and before he could fire again he was caught in a grip he