with
ghastly silence and pallid under the white light. Here they stopped, and
soon his brother began to stroke the hair of Ka'b until he had lulled him
into drowsiness. Then suddenly seizing the forelock he shouted:

"Let the enemy of God perish!"

Ka'b was pinioned, while four men of the Beni Aus slashed at him with
their swords. But he was a brave man and strong, determined to sell his
life dearly. The struggle became furious.

"When I saw that," relates Mosleima through the mouth of tradition, "I
remembered my dagger, and thrust it into his body with such violence that
it penetrated the entire bulk. The enemy of God gave one cry and fell to
the ground."

Then they left him, and hastened to tell their master of the good news.
Mahomet rejoiced, and was at no pains to conceal his satisfaction. Ka'b
had made himself objectionable to the Prophet and dangerous to Islam; Ka'b
was removed; it was well; Allah Akbar Islam.

Eastern nations have never been so careful of human life as Western, and
especially as the Anglo-Saxon peoples. To Mahomet the security of his
state came before all, and if a hundred poets had threatened to undermine
his authority, he would have had them all slain with equal steadfastness.
Men were bound to die, and those who disturbed the progress of affairs
merely suffered more swiftly the universal lot. It is obvious that no
modern Western standard can be set up for Mahomet; the deed must be
interpreted by that inflexible will and determination to achieve his
aims, which lies at the root of all his crimes of state. But the
unfortunate Jews went in fear and trembling, and their panic was
increased when Mahomet issued an order to his followers with permission
to kill them wherever they might be found. He very soon, however, allowed
so drastic a command to lapse, but not before some had taken advantage of
his savage policy, and after a time he made a new treaty with the Jews,
not at all on the old federal lines, but guaranteeing them some sort of
security, provided they showed proper submission to his superior power.
This treaty smoothed over matters somewhat, but nevertheless the Jews
were now thoroughly intimidated, and those who were left lived a
restricted life, wherein fear played the greater part.

But for the time being Mahomet was satisfied, and no further punitive
acts were attempted; not many months later he was faced with a far
greater danger, the appearance in force of his old enemy the Ku