hear? Do
you understand? If you touch a hair of his head, it will cost you your
nose and ears! Never for an hour forget that you live--and ought not to
live--only so long as two pairs of lips are sealed. You know whose. That
clever head remains on your shoulders only as long as they choose. Cling
to it, man; you have only one to lose! It was necessary, my lord Vekeel,
to remind you of that once more!"

The Negro groaned like a wounded beast and sullenly panted out: "This is
the reward of past services; these are the thanks of Moslem to
Moslem!--And all for the sake of a Christian dog."

"You have had thanks, and more than are your due," replied Amru more
calmly. "You know what you pledged yourself to before I raised you to be
my Vekeel for the sake of your brains and your sword, and what I had to
overlook before I did so--not on your behalf, but for the great cause of
Islam. And, if you wish to remain where you are, you will do well to
sacrifice your wild ambition. If you cannot, I will send you back to the
army, and to-day rather than to-morrow; and if you carry it with too high
a hand you will find yourself at Medina in fetters, with your
death-warrant stuck in your girdle."

The Negro again groaned sullenly; but his master was not to be checked.

"Why should you hate this youth? Why, a child could see through it! In
the son and heir of George you see the future Mukaukas, while you are
cherishing the insane wish to become the Mukaukas yourself."

"And why should such a wish be insane?" cried the other in a harsh voice.
"Putting you out of the question, who is there here that is shrewder or
stronger than I?"

"No Moslem, perhaps. But neither you nor any other true believer will
succeed to the dead man's office, but an Egyptian and a Christian.
Prudence requires it, and the Khaliff commands it."

"And does he also command that this curled ape shall be left in
possession of his millions?"

"So that is what you covet, you greedy curmudgeon--that is it? Do not all
the crimes you have committed out of avarice weigh upon you heavily
enough? Gold, and yet more gold--that is the end, the foul end, of all
your desires. A fat morsel, no doubt: the Mukaukas' estates, his talents
of gold, his gems, slaves, and horses; I admit that. But thank God the
All-merciful, we are not thieves and robbers!"

"And who was it that dug out the hidden millions from beneath the
reservoir of Peter the Egyptian, and who made him bite the d