y of joy, and rushing
forward fell upon his knees by his brother's side.

CHAPTER THIRTY NINE.

TIGHTENED CHAINS.

Those were minutes of agony to all concerned, for there was the trouble
of Frank's calls while the doctor was speaking. It was nothing that the
strange officer had heard them, but the fact that they must have been
heard by the guard, familiar with them all was startling, and the
position was excitedly discussed. The Sheikh said that the officer had
made no allusion to it since, and the doctor recalled to them the fact
that the man could not have recognised the voice, for he had never heard
Frank speak. Besides he did not know that Frank was lying there ill.

"Let him think that there was a mystery about it all, Excellencies,"
said the Sheikh; "and when he sees Ben Eddin again going about his
business as of old, making his desires known by signs, he will never
think that it was he who spoke."

"But who will he think it was then?" said the professor.

"Who can say, Excellency? They are superstitious children, these strong
fighting men of the desert, and believe in demons, genii, and afreets.
He will say to himself that it was the voice of the Hakim's familiar,
that he heard the invisible spirit by whose help he works his cures, and
be glad of heart that the djin, or whatever it might be, did not strike
him dead for being there."

A couple of hours or so later they were startled by the appearance of
the very man of whom the Sheikh had been speaking, and all fancied
afterwards that he looked very hard at Frank, who was sufficiently
recovered by the success of his plan to be able to keep about, and hence
was present in the room.

The chief of the guard had come to announce the return of the Emir's
officer with a message to the Hakim, and when the Baggara was ushered in
it was to announce that his master thankfully accepted the Hakim's
pledge, but felt that it was not right for so great a sage, mullah, and
prophet, to be asked to waste his time over a dog of a white slave. In
conclusion he prayed that the great Hakim, whose very touch bore healing
to the sons of men, would deign to accept the gift he sent him by his
servant--the offering being a costly emerald ring, roughly and clumsily
set in gold.

One difficulty was at an end, for all felt that the doctor might insist
upon the prisoner staying till such time as they could ripen their plans
for escape, while in addition that night, the Sheik