from the war he would win his way to power again. Meanwhile, he cursed
the man who had eluded the death he had prepared for him. With his own
eyes had he not seen, from the hill top, the train plunge to destruction,
and had he not once more got off his horse and knelt upon his sheepskin
and given thanks to Allah--a devout Arab obeying the sunset call to
prayer, as David had observed from the train?

One by one, two by two, group by group, the unveiled dancers came and
went; the singers sang behind the screen provided for them, so that none
might see their faces, after the custom. At last, however, Kaid and his
guests grew listless, and smoked and talked idly. Yet there was in the
eyes of Kaid a watchfulness unseen by any save a fellah who squatted in a
corner eating sweetmeats, and a hidden singer waiting until she should be
called before the Prince Pasha. The singer's glances continually flashed
between Kaid and Achmet. At last, with gleaming eyes, she saw six Nubian
slaves steal silently behind Achmet. One, also, of great strength, came
suddenly and stood before him. In his hands was a leathern thong.

Achmet saw, felt the presence of the slaves behind him, and shrank back
numbed and appalled. A mist came before his eyes; the voice he heard
summoning him to stand up seemed to come from infinite distances. The
hand of doom had fallen like a thunderbolt. The leathern thong in the
hands of the slave was the token of instant death. There was no chance
of escape. The Nubians had him at their mercy. As his brain struggled
to regain its understanding, he saw, as in a dream, David enter the
court-yard and come towards Kaid.

Suddenly David stopped in amazement, seeing Achmet. Inquiringly he
looked at Kaid, who spoke earnestly to him in a low tone. Whereupon
David turned his head away, but after a moment fixed his eyes on Achmet.