seem," he said, "that the lady Heliodore, having been
taken in war, must be treated as a prisoner of war, the only question
being to whom she belongs."

Now Musa interrupted angrily, shouting out that as to this there was no
doubt, since she belonged to him, who had captured her during his tenure
of office.

The Emir thought a while, and we waited trembling. At last he gave
judgment, saying:

"The General Olaf the Blind, who in Byzantium was known as Olaf
Red-Sword or as Michael, and who while in the service of the Empress
Irene often made war against the followers of the Prophet, but who
afterwards lost his eyes at the hands of this same evil woman, is a man
of whom all the world has heard. Particularly have we Moslems heard of
him, seeing that as governor of Lesbos in recent days he inflicted a
great defeat upon our navy, slaying many thousands and taking others
prisoner. But as it chances God, Who bides His time to work justice, set
a bait for him in the shape of a fair woman. On this bait he has been
hooked, notwithstanding all his skill and cunning, and delivered into
our hands, having come into Egypt disguised as a beggar in order to seek
out that woman. Still, as he is so famous a man, and as at present there
is a truce between us and the Empire of the East, which truce raises
certain doubtful points of high policy, I decree that his case be
remitted to the Caliph Harun-al-Rashid, my master, and that he be
conveyed to Baghdad there to await judgment. With him will go the woman
whom he alleges to be his niece, but who, as we are informed, was one of
the waiting-ladies of the Empress Irene. Against her there is nothing to
be said save that she may be a Byzantine spy.

"Now I come to the matter of the lady Heliodore, who is reported to be
the wife or the lover or the affianced of this General Olaf, a question
of which God alone knows the truth. This lady Heliodore is a person of
high descent and ancient race. She is the only child of the late Prince
Magas, who claimed to have the blood of the old Pharaohs in his veins,
and who within this year was defeated and slain by my predecessor
in office, the Emir Musa. The said Emir, having captured the lady
Heliodore, purposed to place her in his harem, as he had a right to
do, seeing that she refused the blessings of the Faith. As it chanced,
however, she escaped from him, as it is told by stabbing the eunuch in
charge of her. At least it is certain that this eunuch wa