ed this
uneven ground. Mares always travel faster on rough roads than on smooth
country." And so it happened, for when they arrived in the plain, Dahir
shot forward like a giant, leaving a trail of dust behind him. It seemed
as if he went on wings, not legs; in the twinkling of an eye he had
outstripped Ghabra. "Here," cried the Absian to the Fazarean groom,
"send a messenger from me to the family of Beder, and you yourself drink
the bitter cup of patience behind me." Meanwhile Shidoub, swift as the
north wind, kept ahead of Dahir, bounding like a fawn and running like
an ostrich, until he reached the defile where Dames was hidden. The
slave had only thrown down less than a third of his pebbles, when he
looked up and saw Dahir approaching.

He waited till the horse passed close by him, and suddenly showed
himself with a shout, and hit the racer violently between the eyes with
a stone. The horse reared, stopped one moment, and the rider was on the
point of being unseated. Shidoub was a witness to the incident, and
having looked at the slave, recognized him as belonging to the
treacherous Hadifah. In the violence of his rage he flung himself upon
Dames, and struck him dead with his sword: then he approached Dahir for
the purpose of speaking soothingly to him, and starting him again on the
race; but, alas, the mare Ghabra rushed up like the wind. Then Shidoub,
fearing defeat, thinking of the camels he would forfeit, set out running
at full speed towards the lake, where he arrived two bow-shots in
advance of the horses. Ghabra followed, then Dahir last, bearing on his
forehead the mark of the missile; his cheeks were covered with blood and
tears.

All the spectators were astounded on seeing the agility and endurance of
Shidoub; but as soon as Ghabra had reached the finish the Fazareans
uttered loud shouts of joy. Dahir was led home all bleeding, and his
rider told the men of the tribe of Abs what the slave had done. Cais
examined the wound of his horse and asked for full details of the
occurrence. Antar grew crimson with anger, and laid his hand upon his
invincible sword, as if impatient to annihilate the tribe of the
Fazareans. But the sheiks restrained him, although with difficulty,
after which they went to Hadifah to cover him with shame, and to
reproach him with the infamous deed he had done. Hadifah denied it, with
false oaths, affirming that he knew nothing of the blow dealt to Dahir;
then he added, "I demand the ca