“Yes, I was. First I was jealous because I thought you had taken too much interest in Hafsa Pasha. Then I was jealous of my pard, as I couldn’t see any reason why you should care more for him than for me. And through my fool actions I brought all this trouble on us. If I had not gone off by myself, kind of eating my heart out, and then ran away when you and Dick saw me and tried to overtake me, you would not have been lost in the streets, would not have enraged the Moslems by entering one of their temples, and would not have given Hafsa Pasha’s tools a chance to seize and imprison you. Oh, I was all to blame, and I know it. I’m a big——” She placed a soft hand over his mouth. “I won’t listen to such a defamation of the character of my dearest friend!” she whispered. He kissed her fingers. “But it’s the truth,” he asserted. “I hope you’ll forgive me and forget it, Nadia.” “Why, you dear fellow, you talk as if you had committed a crime!” “I feel that way. If we get out of this scrape alive, Nadia, I’ll try to prove to you that I’m not such a fool as I seem. You see!” “Oh, hush!” “You see!” he repeated. “But we may none of us escape. Isn’t it terrible! I don’t like Dick’s plan for Dunbar and I to leave first. I think we had better wait and all go together. If we——” She stopped, checked by a dull, muffled, murmuring roar that seemed to come from the streets not far away. The sound made her tremble. “The mob has not dispersed!” she whispered. “It has been driven away, but it is returning! I fear we’re lost!” He did his best to cheer her and give her courage. Somehow she was overcome by a great weakness, and suddenly he found her in his arms. The situation thrilled him, and he held her tight, while he continued to speak earnest words of reassurance. A sound behind them startled them. Brad turned his head, still holding Nadia. A befezzed Turk had quietly entered the room. His eyes seemed to glitter triumphantly. Lifting a hand and pointing at them, he exclaimed: “I have found you! I have come to take that girl away!” Nadia uttered a low cry of terror. Swinging her onto his left arm, Buckhart suddenly whipped out a pistol and covered the Turk. “Stand back!” he growled. “Advance a step and I’ll blow a hole through you!” The man was startled and alarmed by this quick action on the part of the Texan. He fell back, exclaiming: “Don’t shoot!” “I certain shall,” said Buckhart, “if you move another inch. Stand there and lift your dirty paws above your head!” The threatened man hastily put up his hands, at the same time spluttering: “Great Scott! You’re altogether too handy with your pistol! Put it up, Brad! Don’t you know me? I’m Budthorne!” Nadia gave a start, straightened up a little, and stared at the speaker. “Dunbar,” she gasped; “Dunbar, is it you?” “Of course it is,” was the answer. “I wanted to see if my disguise was any good; but I didn’t care to have Buckhart jab a pistol at me so promptly.”