e flight of birds. Shall He not decree a train's
journey?" said Grim.

_"Inshallah,_ Lion of Petra! The train will come, when that is
written, and that which is written shall befall. It is said
there are sons of corruption on the train, who bear much wealth
with them.

"It were a pity to leave all the looting to those who got to
El-Maan soonest. They who slay will claim the booty.

"Or does Your Honor intend to arrive afterward and claim a share,
leaving the labor to those who seek labor? In that case we crave
permission to join Your Honor's party. It may be we can help
enforce Your Honor's just demands, and be recompensed accordingly?"

_"Wallahi!"_ Grim answered after a long pause. "Who sets himself
to plunder trains without my leave? Have I been such short time
in Petra that men doubt who rules here? Have I not said the train
shall pass El-Maan and come thus far? Who dares challenge me? Do
I wait here for nothing? Shall I be satisfied with a string of
empty cars?"

The Arab turned and conferred for a moment with his four friends.
They shook their heads.

"O Lord of the Desert," he said after a minute, "none has heard
of this decree. Your Honor's messenger may have failed or have
fallen into bad hands on the way. Word has not come that you
reserve this train for your own profit. There will be fifty
men at El-Maan now waiting to slay certain passengers and
plunder others."

Grim had evidently made up his mind and had set full sail on the
course indicated. I confess I shuddered at the prospect; but I
never saw a man look more pleased than Ali Baba, and Narayan
Singh's face betrayed militant admiration. Nor have I ever heard
such a streak of fulminous bad language as Grim swore then,
calling earth and all its elements to witness the brimstone anger
of a robber chief.

"Go ye," he thundered, "and tell those sons of swine that I say
the train shall pass to this point. And as to what happens
thereafter that is my affair. Bid any and all who chose to
dispute my word to look first to their wives and goods. I
have spoken."

The five men fell back a pace in consternation, no doubt
partly affected for the sake of flattery; but they were quite
obviously disconcerted.

_"Wallahi!_ If we go on such an errand who shall save our lives?
Who are we to come between wolves and their prey?"

"Say ye are my messengers," retorted Grim. "Let any touch a
messenger of mine who dares."

"But they will not believe us."

"Th