lution" before a meal. Bara Miyan
smiled slightly as he gestured the Legionaries also to wash hands and
faces; but the Master, little relishing the idea of using this same
water after the Arabs, shook his head.

Not thus slyly could the Olema inflict humiliation on unbelievers. A
hard look crept into the Master's eyes. This covert insult, after the
exchange of salt, boded very ill.

In silence the Legionaries watched the Arabs dry their hands and
faces on towels given them by the slave-girls, who then noiselessly
withdrew. All the Arabs prostrated themselves and prayed. The Master
was the only one who noticed one significant fact: that now the
_kiblah_, or direction of prayer, was not to the north-west, where lay
Mecca, but--judging by the sun--was almost due west, toward the spot
where lay the Black Stone. This reassured him once more.

"They recognize the Stone, right enough," thought he. "As long as
nothing happens to that, we hold the whip-hand of them. Our only real
danger is that something _might_ happen to it. But a few hours, now,
will end all this. And in a few hours, what can happen?"

The Arabs ceased their droning supplications to Allah, which had been
rising with hypnotically soothing murmurs through the incensed air,
and now followed Bara Miyan toward the raised platform. The old Sheik
beckoned his guests. All disposed themselves comfortably among the
cushions. The Legionaries ignored what seemed a disposition on
the part of the Arabs to separate them--to scatter them along the
platform.

"Keep together, men," the Master commanded. "Group yourselves closely
here, in the middle. Say nothing. Watch everything. Make no move
without specific orders. If it comes to a fight, and I am killed,
Leclair will command you. His knowledge of Arabic temporarily ranks
him above Bohannan. Don't shoot unless it comes to hard necessity; but
if you do shoot, make every bullet count--and save the last one for
yourselves!"

Bara Miyan clapped his hands. Through two arched doorways, to right
and left, entered a silent file of the huge, half-naked Maghrabi
men. All were unarmed; but the muscles of their heavy shoulders, the
gorilla-like dangle of their steel-fingered hands produced an effect
more ominous even than the gleam of simitars in the dim cressets'
light would have been.

Along the walls these black barbarians disposed themselves, a full
hundred or more, saying nothing, seeming to see nothing, mere human
automat