"You lie!" snarled Von Quedlinburg. "You dog of an Armenian, you lie!"
Kagig ignored him.

"This is the German sportman who tried once to go to Zeitoon to shoot
bears, as he said. But I knew he was a spy. I am not the Eye of
Zeitoon merely because that title rolls nicely on the tongue. He
has--perhaps he has it in his pocket now--a concession from the
politicians in Stamboul, granting him the right to exploit Zeitoon
--a place he has never seen! He has encouraged this present butchery
in order that Turkish soldiers may have excuse to penetrate to Zeitoon
that he covets. He wants you Eenglis sportmen out of the way. You
were to be sent safely back to Tarsus, lest you should be witnesses
of what must happen. Perhaps you do not believe all this?"'

He stooped down and searched the German's coat pockets with impatient
fingers that tugged and jerked, tossing out handkerchief and wallet,
cigars, matches that by a miracle had not caught in the heat, and
considerable money to the floor. He took no notice of the money,
but one of the old gipsy women crept out and annexed it, and Kagig
made no comment.

"He has not his concession with him. I can prove nothing to-night.
I said you shall stand a test. You must choose. This German and
those Turks are my prisoners. You have nothing to do with it. You
may go back to Tarsus if you wish, and tell the Turks that Kagig
defies them! You shall have an escort as far as the nearest garrison.
You shall have fifty men to take you back by dawn to-morrow."

At that Rustum Khan turned several shades darker and glared truculently.