and tribes as Achmet Zek himself, might collect the woman's price
and make good his escape into the far north. Werper, on the other
hand, could scarce make his escape alone through a country hostile
to Europeans while the men he would send with the Belgian could be
carefully selected with a view to preventing Werper from persuading
any considerable portion of his command to accompany him should he
contemplate desertion of his chief.

At last the Arab spoke: "It is not necessary that we both return
for the gold. You shall go north with the woman, carrying a letter
to a friend of mine who is always in touch with the best markets
for such merchandise, while I return for the gold. We can meet
again here when our business is concluded."

Werper could scarce disguise the joy with which he received this
welcome decision. And that he did entirely disguise it from the
keen and suspicious eyes of Achmet Zek is open to question. However,
the decision reached, the Arab and his lieutenant discussed the
details of their forthcoming ventures for a short time further,
when Werper made his excuses and returned to his own tent for the
comforts and luxury of a long-desired bath and shave.

Having bathed, the Belgian tied a small hand mirror to a cord sewn
to the rear wall of his tent, placed a rude chair beside an equally
rude table that stood beside the glass, and proceeded to remove
the rough stubble from his face.

In the catalog of masculine pleasures there is scarce one which
imparts a feeling of greater comfort and refreshment than follows
a clean shave, and now, with weariness temporarily banished, Albert