here, sir?" he asked suspiciously, in very
guttural Arabic.

Relieved to find that they would have no great difficulty in
understanding each other, Nevill plunged into explanations, pointing to
Josette's card. They had come recommended by the malema at Tlemcen. They
brought good wishes and a present to the bride of the village, the
virtuous and beautiful Mouni, from whom they would gladly receive
information concerning a European lady. Was this the house of her
father? Would they be permitted to speak with her, and give this little
watch from Algiers?

Nevill made his climax by opening the velvet case, and the brown eyes of
the Kabyle boy flashed with uncontrollable admiration, though his face
remained immobile. He answered that this was indeed the house of
Mouni's father, and he himself was the brother of Mouni. This was the
last day of her wedding-feast, and in an hour she would go to the home
of her husband. The consent of the latter, as well as of her father,
must be asked before strangers could hope to speak with her.
Nevertheless, the Roumis were welcome to enter the yard and watch the
entertainment while Mouni's brother consulted with those most concerned
in this business.

The boy stood aside, inviting them to pass through the gate, and the
Englishmen availed themselves of his courtesy, waiting just inside until
the red-bearded man came forward. He and his son consulted together, and
then a dark young man in a white burnous was called to join the
conclave. He was a handsome fellow, with a haughtily intelligent face,
and an air of breeding superior to the others.

"This is my sister's husband. He too speaks Arabic, but my father not so
much." The boy introduced his brother-in-law. "Messaud-ben-Arzen is the
son of our Caid," (he spoke proudly). "Will you tell him and my father
what your business is with Mouni?"

Nevill broke into more explanations, and evidently they were
satisfactory, for, while the dancing and the powder play were stopped,
and the squatting ranks of guests stared silently, the two Roumis were
conducted into the house.

It was larger than most of the houses in the village, but apart from the
stable of the animals through which the visitors passed, there was but
one room, long and narrow, lighted by two small windows. The darkest
corner was the bedroom, which had a platform of stone on which rugs were
spread, and there was a lower mound of dried mud, roughly curtained off
from the rest wi