e tribe. Some were released, in
order that they might obtain ransom for the rich merchants; others were
sent out as shepherds with the flocks; and many who had formerly been
waited upon by ten slaves, were doomed to perform menial services in
this camp. Not so with Said, however. Was it his courageous and heroic
manner, or the mysterious influence of a kind fairy, that attached
Selim to him so strongly? It would be hard to say; but Said lived in
the chief's tent more as a son than as servant. Soon, however, the
strange partiality of the old chief drew down on Said the hatred of the
other servants. He met everywhere only savage looks, and if he went
alone through the camp he heard on all sides curses and threats
directed against him, and more than once arrows had flown by close to
his breast--and that they did not hit him he ascribed to the silver
whistle that he wore constantly in his bosom. He often complained to
Selim of these attempts on his life; but the chiefs efforts to discover
the would-be assassin were in vain, for the whole tribe seemed to be in
league against the favored stranger. So Selim said to him one day: "I
had hoped that you might possibly replace the son who fell by your
hand. It is not your fault or mine that this could not be. All feel
bitter hatred toward you, and it is not in my power to protect you for
the future, for how would it benefit either you or myself to bring the
guilty ones to punishment after they had stealthily killed you?
Therefore, when the men return from their present expedition, I will
say to them that your father has sent me a ransom, and I will send you
by some trusty men across the desert."

"But could I trust myself with any of these men?" asked Said in
amazement. "Would they not kill me on the way?"

"The oath that they will take before me will protect you; it has never
yet been broken," replied Selim calmly.

Some days after this the men returned to camp, and Selim kept his
promise. He presented the young man with weapons, clothes and a horse,
summoned all the available men, and chose five of their number to
conduct Said across the desert, and bound them by a formidable oath not
to kill him, and then took leave of Said with tears.

The five men rode moodily and silently through the desert with Said,
who noticed how unwillingly they were fulfilling their commission; and
it caused him not a little anxiety to find that two of them were
present at the time he killed Almanso