action, he thought it rash; but
the courage of it pleased him, too.

"You are not mistaken," she said slowly in French; "your brother was
known to me. I had met him in England. It will be a relief to all his
friends to know that he passed away peacefully." She looked him in the
eyes determinedly. "Monsieur Claridge is not my kinsman, but he is my
fellow-countryman. If you mean well by monsieur, your knowledge and your
riches should help him on his way. But your past is no guarantee of good
faith, as you will acknowledge."

He looked her in the eyes with a far meaning. "But I am giving
guarantees of good faith now," he said softly. "Will you--not?"

She understood. It was clear that he meant peace, for the moment at
least.

"If I had influence I would advise him to reconcile you to Prince Kaid,"
she said quietly, then turned to David with an appeal in her eyes.

David stood up. "I will do what I can," he said. "If thee means as well
by Egypt as I mean by thee, all may be well for all."

"Saadat! Saadat!" said Nahoum, with show of assumed feeling, and made
salutation. Then to Hylda, making lower salutation still, he said: "Thou
hast lifted from my neck the yoke. Thou hast saved me from the shadow
and the dust. I am thy slave." His eyes were like a child's, wide and
confiding.

He turned towards the door, and was about to open it, when there came
a knocking, and he stepped back. Hylda drew down her veil. David opened
the door cautiously and admitted Mizraim the Chief Eunuch. Mizraim's
eyes searched the room, and found Nahoum.

"Pasha," he said to Nahoum, "may thy bones never return to dust, nor the
light of thine eyes darken! There is danger."

Nahoum nodded, but did not speak.

"Shall I speak, then?" He paused and made low salutation to David,
saying, "Excellency, I am thine ox to be slain."

"Speak, son of the flowering oak," said Nahoum, with a sneer in his
voice. "What blessing dost thou bring?"

"The Effendina has sent for thee."

Nahoum's eyes flashed. "By thee, lion of Abdin?" The lean, ghastly being
smiled. "He has sent a company of soldiers and Achmet Pasha."

"Achmet! Is it so? They are here, Mizraim, watcher of the morning?"

"They are at thy palace--I am here, light of Egypt."

"How knewest thou I was here?"

Mizraim salaamed. "A watch was set upon thee this morning early. The
watcher was of my slaves. He brought the word to me that thou wast here
now. A watcher also was set upon thee, Exc