soners embraced the true faith?" asked the Emir
Abderrahman, looking at them with his cruel eyes.

The Moolah had his reputation to preserve, and it was not for him to
confess to a failure.

"They were about to embrace it, when----"

"Let it rest for a little time, O Moolah." He gave an order, and the
Arabs all sprang for their camels. The Emir Wad Ibrahim filed off at
once with nearly half the party. The others were mounted and ready, with
their rifles unslung.

"What's happened?" asked Belmont.

"Things are looking up," cried the Colonel. "By George, I think we are
going to come through all right. The Gippy Camel Corps are hot on our
trail."

"How do you know?"

"What else could have scared them?"

"O Colonel, do you really think we shall be saved?" sobbed Sadie. The
dull routine of misery through which they had passed had deadened all
their nerves until they seemed incapable of any acute sensation, but now
this sudden return of hope brought agony with it like the recovery of
a frostbitten limb. Even the strong, self-contained Belmont was filled
with doubts and apprehensions. He had been hopeful when there was no
sign of relief, and now the approach of it set him trembling.

"Surely they wouldn't come very weak," he cried. "Be Jove, if the
Commandant let them come weak, he should be court-martialled."

"Sure, we're in God's hands, anyway," said his wife, in her soothing,
Irish voice. "Kneel down with me, John, dear, if it's the last time, and
pray that, earth or heaven, we may not be divided."

"Don't do that! Don't!" cried the Colonel, anxiously, for he saw that
the eye of the Moolah was upon them. But it was too late, for the two
Roman Catholics had dropped upon their knees and crossed themselves.
A spasm of fury passed over the face of the Mussulman priest at this
public testimony to the failure of his missionary efforts. He turned and
said something to the Emir.

[Illustration: Stand up! cried Mansoor p214]

"Stand up!" cried Mansoor. "For your life's sake, stand up! He is asking
for leave to put you to death."

"Let him do what he likes!" said the obstinate Irishman; "we will rise
when our prayers are finished, and not before."

The Emir stood listening to the Moolah, with his baleful gaze upon the
two kneeling figures. Then he gave one or two rapid orders, and four
camels were brought forward. The baggage-camels which they had hitherto
ridden were standing unsaddled where they had been tethere