k that such things do not happen in these days,
and particularly to members of the household of a chief magistrate,
but I can only tell you what is true. On the second night of our
journey a band of Arabs swept down upon the caravan, overpowered the
guards, killing them all, and carried of everything of value which we
had. Me, also, they carried off--me and one other, a little Syrian
girl, my cousin. Oh!" she shuddered violently--"even now I can
sometimes hear the shrieks of my mother ... and I can hear, also, the
way they suddenly ceased, those cries ..."

Stuart looked up with a start to find a Swiss waiter placing tea upon
the table. He felt like rubbing his eyes. He had been dragged rudely
back from the Syrian desert to the prosaic realities of a London hotel.

"Perhaps," continued Miska, "you will think that we were ill-treated,
but it was not so. No one molested us. We were given every comfort
which desert life can provide, servant to wait upon us and plenty of
good food. After several weeks' journeying we came to a large city,
having many minarets and domes glimmering in the moonlight; for we
entered at night. Indeed, we always travelled at night. At the time I
had no idea of the name of this city but I learned afterwards that it
was Mecca.

"As we proceeded through the streets, the Assyrian girl and I peeped
out through the little windows of the _shibriyeh_--which is a kind of
tent on the back of a camel--in which we travelled, hoping to see some
familiar face or someone to whom we could appeal. But there seemed to
be scarcely anyone visible in the streets, although lights shone out
from many windows, and the few men we saw seemed to be anxious to
avoid us. In fact, several ran down side turnings as the camels
approached.

"We stopped before the gate of a large house which was presently
opened, and the camels entered the courtyard. We descended, and I saw
that a number of small apartments surrounded the courtyard in the
manner of a _caravanserai._ Then, suddenly, I saw something else, and
I knew why we had been treated with such consideration on the journey;
I knew into what hand I had fallen--I knew that I was in the house of
a _slave-dealer!_"

"Good heavens!" muttered Stuart--"this is almost incredible."

"I knew you would doubt what I had to tell you," declared Miska
plaintively; "but I solemnly swear what I tell you is the truth. Yes,
I was in the house of a slave-dealer, and on the very next day,
b