to muscular force. Monsieur, when Abdul el
Jabel saw I was in earnest, he cried out for fear, and swore by all
the prophets that if I would let him live he would confess the truth."

"Good, good!" says John, pleased with the business qualities of his
guide.

"_Begar!_ it ees better zan one play," mutters the French agent.

"So I made the miserable driver confess that he had entered into an
arrangement with one of the robbers to upset us between Birkadeen and
Al Jezira, so that they could make the capture."

"The villain! he deserved hanging. I hope you executed Arab justice on
him then and there."

Mustapha shakes his head.

"Monsieur forgets. I had given my word. An Arab will never break that.
But I let him go after a few kicks, which, you see I have learned to
give from the Franks. He will not go back. He now becomes an open ally
of Bab Azoun, the desert tiger."

"Well--"

"Monsieur, one word more. He could not tell me all, but gave me to
understand that Bab Azoun was in the employ of another party, some Frank
who loves revenge."

This opens up a new vista. John is visibly agitated by the news.

"I believe I see light; the hand of Pauline Potter is behind it all."

"Monsieur, pardon."

"Well, what is it now?"

"From all he said I was inclined to believe it was a man who bought Bab
Azoun."

"Yes, yes; but you see he may have been mistaken. Besides, Blunt fought
like a tiger. It does not matter just now. What we want to do is to
rescue them all."

"That is right."

"You came upon the scene just as these friends of mine were overpowered.
Tell us what next occurred?"

"A move was made. I feared that it would be the end, for Bab Azoun
and his followers usually dash into the desert when they have secured
plunder, the pursuit from the French soldiers being what they fear,
since the Algerian rulers have given all over into the hands of the
Franks.

"Monsieur, I was surprised to see them start off on foot. I was more
than pleased to find that they took a _chemin de travers_ or what you
call a country cross road that leads to the deserted mines or caves of
Metidja. This told me they were encamped there, and I heard one man
telling another they would not leave until morning, as they had other
business in hand."

At this John plucks up courage. The thought of Lady Ruth being miles
away, mounted on a fast horse and speeding toward some desert fastness
of the robbers, was one to almost paralyze his brain