"Is that thy business?" he snarled, shifting his rifle-barrel to
the other hand. "I am what she says I am! She used to call me
'Chikki'--the Lifter!--and I was! There are those who were made
to know it! If she says now I am badragga, shall any say she lies?"

"I say thou art unpacker of mules' burdens!" answered King. "Begin!"

For answer the fellow grinned from ear to ear and thrust the rifle-
barrel forward insolently. King, with the movement of determination
that a man makes when about to force conclusions, drew up his sleeves
above the wrist. At that instant the moon shone through the mist
and the gold bracelet glittered in the moonlight.

"May God be with thee!" said "Lord of the Rivers" at once. And
without another word he laid down his rifle and went to help off-load
the mules.

King stepped aside and cursed softly. To a man who knows how to
enforce his own authority, it is worse than galling to be obeyed
because he wears a woman's favor. But for a vein of wisdom that
underlay his pride he would have pocketed the bracelet there and
then and have refused to wear it again. But as he sweated his pride
he overheard Ismail growl:

"Good for thee! He had taught thee obedience in another bat of
the eye!"

"I obey her!" muttered Darya Khan.

"I, too," said Ishmail. "So shall he before the week dies! But