et Zek's
assassin; but his demand for a share of the jewels boded ill for Werper
when Mohammed Beyd should have learned that the precious stones were no
longer in the Belgian's possession.

To acknowledge that he had lost the jewels might be to arouse the wrath
or suspicion of the Arab to such an extent as would jeopardize his
new-found chances of escape. His one hope seemed, then, to lie in
fostering Mohammed Beyd's belief that the jewels were still in his
possession, and depend upon the accidents of the future to open an
avenue of escape.

Could he contrive to tent with the Arab upon the march north, he might
find opportunity in plenty to remove this menace to his life and
liberty--it was worth trying, and, further, there seemed no other way
out of his difficulty.

"Yes," he said, "Achmet Zek is dead. He fell in battle with a company
of Abyssinian cavalry that held me captive. During the fighting I
escaped; but I doubt if any of Achmet Zek's men live, and the gold they
sought is in the possession of the Abyssinians. Even now they are
doubtless marching on this camp, for they were sent by Menelek to
punish Achmet Zek and his followers for a raid upon an Abyssinian
village. There are many of them, and if we do not make haste to escape
we shall all suffer the same fate as Achmet Zek."

Mohammed Beyd listened in silence. How much of the unbeliever's story
he might safely believe he did not know; but as it afforded him an
excuse for deserting the village and making for the north he was not
inclined to cross-question the Belgian too minutely.

"And if I ride north with you," he asked, "half the jewels and half the
ransom of the woman shall be mine?"

"Yes," replied Werper.

"Good," said Mohammed Beyd. "I go now to give the order for the
breaking of camp early on the morrow," and he rose to leave the tent.

Werper laid a detaining hand upon his arm.

"Wait," he said, "let us determine how many shall accompany us. It is
not well that we be burdened by the women and children, for then indeed
we might be overtaken by the Abyssinians. It would be far better to
select a small guard of your bravest men, and leave word behind that we
are riding WEST. Then, when the Abyssinians come they will be put upon
the wrong trail should they have it in their hearts to pursue us, and
if they do not they will at least ride north with less rapidity than as
though they thought that we were ahead of them."

"The serpent is l