Deprived of the Sheikh's countenance the _jehad_ proved a rather damp squib. But for a moment it seemed just possible that some of his vassals would break out in spite of him. And scenting insubordination in a certain Tettu Agha, who was about the biggest recalcitrant, the Sheikh dispatched one of his henchmen in order to emphasize his commands. The envoy entered the Agha's castle and was duly received in audience. He delivered his chieftain's message, but the Agha proved sullen and obstinate. He reiterated his remonstrances, but the Agha refused to give way. "The Sheikh's word must not be broken," concluded the plenipotentiary. "The Sheikh has sent me to you to tell you to stop at home." "And what do I care if he has?" retorted the Agha mutinously. "Let the Sheikh send his orders to others. I don't intend to obey." The Sheikh's man sprang to his feet, and flung himself upon the rebel. A minute later he burst from the room, brandishing a dripping dagger, and leaving Tettu Agha dead on his own dais. "The Sheikh's word shall not be broken," he proclaimed. This incident was generally regarded as going a little far perhaps; but no one thought of protesting. The lamented Tettu had never been exactly popular; and what else could he expect, anyway, if he "wadna do what M'Callum More bade"? [Illustration: THE HERIKI VALLEY. The mountain at the head of the valley is a shoulder of Sat Dagh. The terrace fields of a mountain village appear in the lower corner. No. 7] The very rooms in which we were sitting, sipping tea and smoking cigarettes with his Holiness, had been the scene of what Major Dugald Dalgetty would call "a very pretty little _camisado_" during the progress of the late campaign. The castle, as a frontier post, was a position of some importance; and it was a shrewd loss to the Sheikh when the Agha whom he had placed in charge of it betrayed his trust to his foes. The Agha was fully aware that his _seigneur_ might feel sore about it. He kept the place strongly garrisoned, and posted around it a double line of sentries and watch-dogs. The approaches on two sides are barred by the rivers, unfordable and icy cold in winter; and on the third side rise precipitous mountains, barely climbable even by day. But one night in a winter blizzard, when the very dogs had crept away to seek shelter, the Sheikh's men seized their opportunity and wormed their way up to the fort. The howling of the tempest drowned the noise of their picks as they cautiously loosened stone after stone from the walling; and at length they formed an opening large enough for one man to creep through at a time. When the next morning broke the treacherous Agha lay dead, with every man of his garrison around him: and the gentleman who was acting as host to the Sheikh and ourselves this evening had been there and then appointed successor. Presumably he was a "sure man."