"Do not ask me," said Kaffar. "Ask Mr. Blake."

Instantly all eyes were turned on me, and, do as I might, I could not
help an uncomfortable flush rising in my face. "I do not know what Mr.
Kaffar means," I replied. "I am as ignorant as to the origin of the
ghost as he is, perhaps more so."

Instantly Kaffar leapt from his chair, and came up to me, his hands
clenched, his black eyes gleaming, his teeth set together as if in a
terrible rage.

"You are a liar and a villain!" he screamed.

"Ah, remember this morning. I accused him, gentlemen, of being connected
with this ghost only to-day, and he flushed guiltily and was silent. He
looked like a Judas who betrayed his master."

"Quietly, please," I replied. "You did come to me this morning with some
foolish jargon about my being connected with last night's affair, but I
was so surprised by the absurdity and foolishness of such a thing, that
I could not answer you before you ran away."

"You hear?" shrieked the Egyptian. "So surprised, was he? If he was, it
was because I had found him out."

"This man is mad," I said. "Surely he ought to be shut up."

"Mad, am I?" he shrieked. "Yes, and you are a liar, a coward, a villain!
You are engaged in a fiendish plot; you are deceiving an innocent lady.
Ah, I spurn you, spit upon you."

"Mr. Kaffar," said Tom Temple, "really this cannot be allowed. You must
remember you are among gentlemen and ladies. Please act accordingly."

"Ladies there are, gentlemen there are," shrieked the Egyptian; "but
he"--pointing at me--"is no gentleman. He is at once a viper, a villain,
and a coward. I leave this house; I renounce pleasant society; I leave
this country--for ever; but before I go I would like to fight hand to
hand with that giant, who--Ha!" He stood close to me and spat at me.
"There!" he cried, and then he struck me in the face with all his
strength.

Instantly I leapt to my feet. This insult was too great. I could
scarcely restrain from striking him to the ground. I mastered myself,
however, and so did not touch him.

"I leave this house," he said wildly. "Herod, send on my baggage to
Cairo. But"--turning to me--"you I challenge--you, with your big body
and trained arms! But, bah! you dar'n't fight. You are a mooning
coward."

He rushed out of the room as he spoke, and a minute later I heard the
hall door slammed with vehemence.

At that moment I became possessed of a terrible passion. I seemed to be
mad. I longed t