r is?"

"Commander of the Faithful, his name is Sheikh Abdul Qadir, a relative
of the Amir of Kabul and a refugee," glibly replied Shah Sowar, but
inwardly considerably perturbed.

"Well, with all respect," replied the chief, "I never heard anyone talk
such bad Persian; he talks just like an Englishman"; and with that he
departed.

Shah Sowar at once grasped what a narrow escape they had had, for an
Englishman found in that region in disguise was a dead man. So soon
therefore as it was dark he persuaded his master to saddle and move on a
few miles, lest further reflection might shed a light on the dim
suspicions of the chief. One bargain Shah Sowar made during that night
march, and that was that Sheikh Abdul Qadir was henceforth to remain
speechless, and leave the rest to his own ingenuity and knowledge of his
countrymen.

A few days afterwards an occasion offered for testing the new
arrangement. Arrived at a somewhat important town, a servant of the
local chief came to make enquiries about the new arrivals, in order that
the etiquette of visiting might be observed, this etiquette ruling that
the inferior should pay the first visit. Here Shah Sowar at once took a
high hand, insisting that his master, from his princely connections,
held the higher rank and must be visited first. "But," he added in a
confidential whisper, "my master is an extraordinary man; some days he
is as lively as a bulbul and laughs and talks with everyone; on others
he sits silent and morose and will not utter a word. Be it spoken in
confidence, but I think he must be mad. At any rate, prepare your
master. If to-day happen to be one of his bad days, then that is kismet
and your master must excuse." Having thus prepared one side, he placed a
bed across the end of the tent and asked Sheikh Abdul Qadir, late
Smith, to sit cross-legged on it, to glare fixedly and furiously into
vacancy, and to grunt at intervals, but on no account to utter a
syllable.

In due course the chief and his retinue arrived, and were met with great
politeness and many salaams by Shah Sowar; but that worthy managed to
whisper in the chief's ear the sad intelligence that this was one of his
master's bad days, and that the Evil Spirit was upon him. "Nevertheless
be pleased to enter," he added aloud; "His Highness will be glad to see
you."

The exceedingly restricted area of the tent prevented a large assembly,
but the chief, his brother, and Shah Sowar managed to squeeze