he spoke did ye not soften? He
hath no inheritance of Paradise, but God shall blot him out in His own
time. Bismillah! God cool his resting-place in that day. Donovan
Pasha's hand is for Egypt, not against her. We are brothers, though
the friendship of man is like the shade of the acacia. Yet while the
friendship lives, it lives. When God wills it to die, it dies...."
He waved his hand towards the gateway, and came slowly down the steep
steps.

With a curious look in his eyes, Dicky watched the people go. Another
curious look displaced it and stayed, as Abdalla silently touched his
forehead, his lips, and his heart three times, and then reached out a
hand to Dicky and touched his palm. Three times they touched palms, and
then Abdalla saluted Renshaw in the same fashion, making the gestures
once only.

From the citadel came the boom of the evening gun. Without a word
Abdalla left them, and, going apart, he turned his face towards Mecca
and began his prayers. The court-yard of the mosque was now empty, save
for themselves alone.

The two walked apart near the deserted fountain in the middle of the
court-yard. "The friendship of man is like the shade of the acacia.
Yet while the friendship lives, it lives. When God wills it to die, it
dies!" mused Dicky with a significant smile. "Friendship walks on thin
ice in the East, Yankee."

"See here, Donovan Pasha, I don't like taking this kind of risk without
a gun," said Renshaw.

"You're an official, a diplomat; you mustn't carry a gun."

"It's all very fine, but it was a close shave for both of us. You've
got an object--want to get something out of it. But what do I get for my
money?"

"Perhaps the peace of Europe. Perhaps a page of reminiscences for the
'New York World'. Perhaps some limelight chapters of Egyptian history.
Perhaps a little hari-kari. Don't you feel it in the air?" Dicky drew in
a sibilant breath. "All this in any other country would make you think
you were having a devil of a time. It's on the regular 'menoo' here, and
you don't get a thrill."

"The peace of Europe--Abdalla has something to do with that?"

"Multiply the crowd here a thousand times as much, and that's what he
could represent in one day. Give him a month, and every man in Egypt
would be collecting his own taxes where he could find 'em. Abdalla there
could be prophet and patriot to-morrow, and so he will be soon, and to
evil ends, if things don't take a turn. That Egyptian-Arab has a