e relinquished the woman, he
could make sure of his vengeance upon Sakr-el-Bahr, could make sure of
removing that rebel from his path. On the other hand, if he determined
to hold fast to his desires and to be ruled by them, he must be prepared
to risk a mutiny aboard the galeasse, prepared for battle and perhaps
for defeat. It was a stake such as no sane Basha would have consented to
set upon the board. But since his eyes had again rested upon Rosamund,
Asad was no longer sane. His thwarted desires of yesterday were the
despots of his wits.

He leaned forward now, looking deep into the eyes of Sakr-el-Bahr.

"Since for thyself thou dost not want her, why dost thou thwart me?"
he asked, and his voice trembled with suppressed passion. "So long as I
deemed thee honest in taking her to wife I respected that bond as
became a good Muslim; but since 'tis manifest that it was no more than
a pretence, a mockery to serve some purpose hostile to myself, a
desecration of the Prophet's Holy Law, I, before whom this blasphemous
marriage was performed, do pronounce it to be no marriage. There is no
need for thee to divorce her. She is no longer thine. She is for any
Muslim who can take her."

Sakr-el-Bahr laughed unpleasantly. "Such a Muslim," he announced, "will
be nearer my sword than the Paradise of Mahomet." And on the words he
stood up, as if in token of his readiness.

Asad rose with him in a bound of a vigour such as might scarce have been
looked for in a man of his years.

"Dost threaten?" he cried, his eyes aflash.

"Threaten?" sneered Sakr-el-Bahr. "I prophesy." And on that he turned,
and stalked away down the gangway to the vessel's waist. There was no
purpose in his going other than his perceiving that here argument were
worse than useless, and that the wiser course were to withdraw at once,
avoiding it and allowing his veiled threat to work upon the Basha's
mind.

Quivering with rage Asad watched his departure. On the point of
commanding him to return, he checked, fearing lest in his present mood
Sakr-el-Bahr should flout his authority and under the eyes of all refuse
him the obedience due. He knew that it is not good to command where we
are not sure of being obeyed or of being able to enforce obedience, that
an authority once successfully flouted is in itself half-shattered.

Whilst still he hesitated, Marzak, who had also risen, caught him by the
arm and poured into his ear hot, urgent arguments enjoining him t