a high cliff at the rear and on
three sides by gigantic rocks that fringed it, making a natural
fort.

The Kurd's men were mostly looking out from between the rocks, but
some of them were sprawling in the shadow of a great boulder in the
midst, and some were attending to the horses that stood tethered in
a long line under the cliff at the rear. The chief drove away those
who lay in the shadow of the boulder in the midst, and bade Ranjoor
Singh and me and Abraham be seated. Ranjoor Singh called up the
other daffadars, and we all sat facing the Kurd, with Abraham a
little to one side between him and us, to act interpreter. That was
the first time Ranjoor Singh had taken so many at once into his
confidence and I took it for a good sign, although unable to ignore
a twinge of jealousy.

"Now?" said the Kurd. "Speak plain words!"

"You have not yet offered us food," said Ranjoor Singh.

The Kurd stared hard at him, eye to eye. "I have good reason," he
answered. "By our law, he who eats our bread can not be treated as
an enemy. If I feed you, how can I let my men attack you afterward?"

"You could not," said Ranjoor Singh. "We, too, have a law, that he
with whom we have eaten salt is not enemy but friend. Let us eat
bread and salt together, then, for I have a plan."

"A plan?" said the Kurd. "What manner of a plan? I await gold. What
are words?"

"A good plan," said Ranjoor Singh.

"And on the strength of an empty boast am I to eat bread and salt
with you?" the Kurd asked.

"If you wish to hear the plan," said Ranjoor Singh. "To my enemy I
tell nothing; however, let my friend but ask!"

The Kurd thought a long time, but we facing him added no word to
encourage or confuse him. I saw that his curiosity increased the
more the longer we were silent; yet I doubt whether his was greater
than my own! Can the sahib guess what Ranjoor Singh's plan was? Nay,
that Kurd was no great fool. He was in the dark. He saw swiftly
enough when explanations came.

"I have three hundred mounted men!" the Kurd said at last.

"And I near as many!" answered Ranjoor Singh. "I crave no favors! I
come with an offer, as one leader to another!"

The Kurd frowned and hesitated, but sent at last for bread and salt,
for all our party, except that he ordered his men to give none to
our prisoners and none to the Syrians, whom he mistook for Turkish
soldiers. If Ranjoor Singh had told him they were Syrians he would
have refused the more, for Kur