"When we reach Khinjan, and I come within reach of her orders again,
then I am her man, not thine!"

King smiled, glancing again at the gold bracelet on his arm.

"I look like her man, too!"

"Thou!" Ismail's scorn was well feigned if it was not real. "Thou
chicken running to the hand that will pluck thy breast-feathers!
Listen! Abdurrahman--he of Khabul--and may Allah give his ugly
bones no peace!--Abdurrahman of Khabul sought the secret of the Caves.
He sent his men to set an ambush. They caught twenty coming out
of Khinjan on a raid. The twenty were carried to Khabul and put
to torture there. How many, think you, told the secret under torture?
They died cursing Abdurrahman to his face and he died without the
secret! May God recompense him with the fire that burns forever
and scalding water and ashes to eat! May rats eat his bones!"

"Had Abdurrahman this?" asked King, touching the bracelet.

"Nay! He would have given one eye for it, but none would trade
with him! He knew of it, but never saw it."

"I am more favored. I have it. It is hers, is it not?" Does not
she know the secret?"

"She knows all that any man knows and more!"

"Was she seen to slay a man in the teeth of written law?" asked King,
and Ismail stared so hard at him that he laughed.