nd in which
were grouped about some fifty armed men, who showed plenty of grim signs
of having been in a serious fray. Then onward through a couple of rooms
handsomely draped with curtains which gave them the appearance of tents,
and into a much larger apartment, upon a broad divan in which, dimly
shown by a couple of brass lamps, lay the insensible figure of a
stalwart Baggara, the blackest they had yet seen, his glistening skin
showing strangely in contrast with the white folds turned back from his
broad chest, and hideously stained with blood.

As the party entered several women held their head-cloths to their faces
and stole silently out, leaving none there but three grim-looking
Mullahs, who had evidently been playing the parts of surgeons to the
injured Emir, and who scowled angrily at the little party that now
entered the room. Standing silently afterwards with their hands upon
their breasts they gazed through their half-closed eyes as if
contemptuously waiting to hear what this infidel Hakim would say.

It was a crucial position for the doctor, but he played his part with
the greatest dignity, while the Emir stood near as if in perfect
confidence as to his friend's powers, and the son glanced at Frank with
a malicious look in his dark eyes, which he turned directly
half-mockingly at the Mullahs.

The Hakim bowed haughtily to his Soudanese _confreres_, and then turned
to the Sheikh.

"Stand on my left hand, a little back," he said, "ready to interpret."

The Sheikh bowed reverently and took his place, while to Frank the scene
in the gloomy, tent-like room resembled some great picture of Eastern
life that he had once seen.

Then throwing back the long white sleeves of his robe the Hakim bent
down over the patient, and with rapid touches of his white hands as if
he were performing some incantation--so it struck the lookers-on, though
it was only the _tactus eruditus_ of the skilled surgeon--he soon
satisfied himself that his patient lived, and of the injury which had
laid the strong man low.

Frank was ready with all he required, water, sponge, towels, lint, and
probe, while the professor carried bottle, graduated glass, and a pocket
filter slung at his side, furnished with a syphon-like tap.

The silence was strangely oppressive during those few minutes, and as he
examined his patient the Hakim gave aloud the results of his
examination, as if speaking expressly for the professor's ear alone.

"Not dea