He grunted dubiously, and, turning to a great brawny giant who stood among the followers who crowded around him leaning upon their guns, uttered a few guttural words. "Did not the sons of offal stop thee?" he inquired. "Relate unto me all thou knowest about them." "I know nothing," I replied, bowing submissively. "I merely passed, having satisfied them that I was not a spy. I had no object in interesting myself in the movements of infidels." The old Sheikh replaced his chibouk between his lips and continued smoking in thoughtful silence, having fixed his gaze intently upon me. "Hum!" he grunted. Then he proceeded to interrogate me regarding my ride from El Biodh. My replies, however, did not apparently remove his suspicions, and he smiled sarcastically now and then, at the same time watching contemplatively the thin columns of blue smoke that rose from his pipe. Suddenly he turned, and, addressing the men who had ridden out to meet me, gave orders that I should be searched. I stood silently by, watching the men turn out and examine closely the contents of my saddlebags, and the food I was carrying. Then they proceeded to search my pockets, compelling me to raise my arms above my head. _Peste_! Fate was again unpropitious! As I raised my hands, my loose burnouse fell from my arms, leaving them bare, and disclosing that they were white! "Ah!" cried the Sheikh, his bright eyes flashing with anger. "So thou art a spy! Thou, son of a dog, seekest the overthrow of Allah's chosen!" "My father," I cried, "I--I am not a spy. Behold! I have neither knife nor gun. Is it not written that the One Worthy of Praise showeth mercy only to the merciful?" "Seize the dog! Take him away, and let him be shot at dawn, as soon as there is sufficient light to distinguish a black thread from a white," the old rebel commanded with a wave of his sun-tanned hand. Then, rising, he cast aside his pipe impatiently, and was about to enter his tent, when his passage was barred by a veiled girl in rich silks and gauzes, who stood for a moment gazing at me. Her _adjar_, although concealing her face, left visible a fine pair of sparkling black eyes, and a forehead that had been plentifully bedaubed with powder in the manner of Eastern women. Rows of golden sequins hung upon her brow, and upon her wrists and bare ankles were jingling bangles. "Hold!" she cried in a commanding tone, raising her bare arm and addressing the Sheikh. "Though innocent of any crime, thou hast condemned him to die. Is it not written in the Book of Everlasting Will that mercy should be shown unto the weak?" "He is a Roumi, and his tribe will be consumed by the unquenchable fire in Al-Hawiyat," answered the chief of the rebels. "Of a verity thou speakest the truth," she said. "But is it not also written that thou shalt not transgress by attacking the infidel first, for Allah loveth not the transgressors."