nd ran his eyes over the
apparatus that was brought in and rapidly placed in position, wires
connected to the battery, and after rapid preparation everything was at
last announced by the professor as being ready, while Frank's black face
glistened with perspiration as he looked firmly now at his brother's old
friend, who questioned him with a look, and received a quick nod in
reply.

All this while the three Mullahs looked on as such men would--old
practitioners in fraud and deceit, dealing with the ignorant
superstitions of their tribes--their swarthy faces darkening in
contempt, treating it all as a piece of jugglery on the part of a
Frankish pretender to infinite power.

But on the other hand the faces of the Emir and his son were full of
wonder as well as faith, knowing so well as they did the great wisdom
and skill of the man who had saved their lives.

"Now," said the Hakim slowly and gravely, "help me, Frederick, my son.
I have probed again for the bullet, and know where it must lie. You and
Ibrahim must carefully turn him half upon his face."

This was quickly done, and a thrill ran quivering through the Emir as he
saw the Hakim take out a keen knife from the case that hung from his
girdle, and with a quick movement divide the white garment the patient
wore from neck to waist, laying bare the muscular back and side, and as
quickly laying the soft white cotton fabric apart. "Now," said the
Hakim, "tell the Emir that the thick curtains must be lowered over that
window and all the light shut out. That done, whatever takes place no
one must move or speak."

The words were firmly and solemnly uttered, and the place lending itself
well to the purpose, the heavy rug-like curtains were allowed to fall
over the window, the Emir and his son both helping, and then stopping in
amaze by the drapery as for a few moments the chamber was in total
darkness.

Then a strange, hissing noise arose, and heavy, startled breathing was
heard, while the faces of all present were illumined by the dazzling
flashes of light which began to play in a cylinder of glass.

Nothing could have been more startling to one strange to the wonders of
science, for the scene was horrible and weird, suggestive to the
Baggara--chiefs and Mullahs--of magic in its most awful guise. For as
they stood spellbound there by the strange light which played about as
if some hissing, fiery dragon were flickering its lambent tongue in and
out of its glist