so that none but
those immediately about overheard his angry words. "Thou art become a
very scandal in the eyes of the Faithful," he added very grimly. "It
were well, perhaps, that we amended that."

Abruptly then he turned away, and by a gesture he ordered Ali to return
the slave to her place among the others. Leaning on the arm of Tsamanni
he took some steps towards the entrance, then halted, and turned again
to Fenzileh:

"To thy litter," he bade her peremptorily, rebuking her thus before all,
"and get thee to the house as becomes a seemly Muslim woman. Nor ever
again let thyself be seen roving the public places afoot."

She obeyed him instantly, without a murmur; and he himself lingered at
the gates with Tsamanni until her litter had passed out, escorted by
Ayoub and Marzak walking each on one side of it and neither daring to
meet the angry eye of the Basha.

Asad looked sourly after that litter, a sneer on his heavy lips.

"As her beauty wanes so her presumption waxes," he growled. "She is
growing old, Tsamanni--old and lean and shrewish, and no fit mate for a
Member of the Prophet's House. It were perhaps a pleasing thing in the
sight of Allah that we replaced her." And then, referring obviously to
that other one, his eye turning towards the penthouse the curtains of
which were drawn again, he changed his tone.

"Didst thou mark, O Tsamanni, with what a grace she moved?--lithely and
nobly as a young gazelle. Verily, so much beauty was never created by
the All-Wise to be cast into the Pit."

"May it not have been sent to comfort some True-Believer?" wondered the
subtle wazeer. "To Allah all things are possible."

"Why else, indeed?" said Asad. "It was written; and even as none may
obtain what is not written, so none may avoid what is. I am resolved.
Stay thou here, Tsamanni. Remain for the outcry and purchase her. She
shall be taught the True Faith. She shall be saved from the furnace."
The command had come, the thing that Tsamanni had so ardently desired.

He licked his lips. "And the price, my lord?" he asked, in a small
voice.

"Price?" quoth Asad. "Have I not bid thee purchase her? Bring her to me,
though her price be a thousand philips."

"A thousand philips!" echoed Tsamanni amazed. "Allah is great!"

But already Asad had left his side and passed out under the arched
gateay, where the grovelling anew at the sight of him.

It was a fine thing for Asad to bid him remain for the sale. But the
da