r no circumstances may a morsel be consumed until it is produced in
the presence of all, and a division, either equitable or otherwise, has
been made.

Even had the story told by the woman been true, her crime would have
been considered sufficiently great to have endangered her life: but her
sin was greater than that.

She had bestowed favour upon a slave--a Christian dog--and had aroused
the jealousy of her Mahometan lord and master.

Fatima seemed happy, for nothing less than a miracle could, in her
opinion, save the life of her fellow-wife, who chanced to be a hated
rival.

After drawing his scimitar from its sheath, and cocking his musket,
Golah ordered all the slaves to squat themselves on the ground, and in a
row.

This order was quickly comprehended and obeyed--the whites seating
themselves together at one end of the line.

Golah's son and the other guard--each with his musket loaded and
cocked--were stationed in front of the row; and were ordered by the
sheik to shoot any one who attempted to get up from the ground.

The monster then stepped up to Colin, and, seizing the young Scotchman
by the auburn locks, dragged him a few paces apart from his companions.
There, for a time, he was left alone.

Golah then proceeded to serve out some cheni to every individual on the
ground, but none was given to the woman who had aroused his anger, nor
to Colin.

In the sheik's opinion, to have offered them food would have been an act
as foolish as to have poured it upon the sands.

Food was intended to sustain life, and it was not designed by him that
they should live much longer. And yet it was evident from his manner
that he had not quite determined as to how they were to die.

The two guards, with the muskets in their grasp, kept a sharp eye on the
slaves; while Golah became engaged in a close consultation with Fatima.

"What shall we do?" asked Terence; "the old villain means mischief, and
how can we prevent it? We must not let him kill poor Colly."

"We must do something immediately," said Harry. "We have neglected it
too long, and shall now have to act under the disadvantage of their
being prepared for an attack. Bill, what should we do?"

"I was just thinkin'," said Bill, "that if we all made a rush at 'em, at
the words one--two--three! not more'n two or three of us might be killed
before we grappled with 'em. Now, this might do, if these black fellows
would only jine us."

The Krooman here expres