you will hardly be able to maintain that," retorted Lezah,
another of the merchants. "Even though a robber, he is a magnanimous
man, and has shown himself such to my brother, as I could relate to
you. He has made orderly men of his whole band, and while he roams over
the desert, no other band dare show itself. Neither is he a common
robber, but simply levies a tax on the caravans, and whoever pays this
willingly may travel on without further molestation, for Orbasan is the
Ruler of the Desert."

Thus the merchants discoursed in the tent; but the guard, who was
stationed around the camp, began to be uneasy. A considerable troop of
armed horsemen was seen at a distance of half an hour's ride, and
seemed to be making directly for the camp. One of the guard therefore
went into the tent to announce that they would probably be attacked.
The merchants conferred with one another as to what was to be done:
whether they had better ride out and meet the attack, or await it in
camp. The two eldest merchants were in favor of the latter course; but
the fiery Muley and Zaleukos chose the first, and called on Selim to
follow their example. But Selim quietly drew a small blue cloth,
covered with red stars, from his girdle, tied it to a spear, and
ordered one of the slaves to fasten it to the top of the tent, saying
he would pledge his life that when the horsemen saw this signal they
would draw off quietly. Muley placed no faith in the result, but the
slave fixed the lance on top of the tent. In the meantime all those in
camp had seized their weapons, and looked for the horsemen in intense
expectancy. But they had apparently caught sight of the signal on the
tent, as they suddenly changed their course, and moved off from the
camp in an opposite direction.

The merchants gazed in wonder, now at the vanishing horsemen, and then
on Selim. But he stood before the tent, looking out unconcernedly over
the plain, as if nothing unusual had happened. At length Muley broke
the silence.

"Who are you, O mighty stranger?" cried he. "You that tame the wild
hordes of the desert by a signal."

"You rate my power much higher than it is," answered Selim Baruch. "I
provided myself with this token when I fled from captivity. What it
signifies, I do not know myself; only this much I do know: that whoever
travels with this sign stands under powerful protection."

The merchants thanked Selim and called him their deliverer; and really
the number of the h