eassuring touch of
the pocket where his revolver bulged, he gripped the rope and
swiftly lowered himself.

Keeping close to the wall he pressed toward the buildings on the
right, which he had been told was the wing of the harem, and as he
stepped forward a flat black shadow near the wall came suddenly to
life. It sprang to its feet, revealing a shrouded little form,
wrapped and hooded in black, and ran to him with steps that stumbled
in excitement.

"Quick, quick!" breathed an almost inaudible voice of terror, and
Billy flung one strong arm about the girl and dashed toward the
dangling rope. Gripping it with one hand he flung the light figure
over his left shoulder, and with a cheerily whispered "Hang tight,"
he threw himself into the ascent. It was arm-wrenching,
muscle-racking work, with that dead weight upon him, but the touch
of those soft arms clinging childishly about his neck seemed to
double and treble his strength, and with incredible quickness he
lifted her to the top of the wall, and then, catching her by the
wrists, he lowered her into the upreaching clasp of the Arab.

An instant more and he had reversed his rope ladder and climbed down
beside her as she stood waiting, and in the throbbing triumph of
that moment he flung his arm grippingly about her to sweep her into
the boat. But as she raised her face to his, the shrouding mantle
fell away, and he found himself staring down into the exultant face
and bright, dark eyes of a girl he had never seen before.

Back of them beyond the wall, pandemonium was breaking out.

[Illustration: "He found himself staring down into the bright dark
eyes of a girl he had never seen"]

CHAPTER XII

THE GIRL FROM THE HAREM

He was dumb with the shock. Then, "Who are you?" he demanded. "And
where is she--where is Arlee Beecher?"

On her own face the astonishment grew. "What you mean? Frederick--he
not send you?" she gasped, and then as the outcries grew louder and
louder behind them she gripped convulsively at his arms. "Oh, quick!
come away--quick, quick!" she besought.

"I came for Arlee Beecher--an American girl. Isn't she held here?
Isn't she back there?"

"What you going to do? What----"

"I'm going to get her!" he said fiercely. "Tell me----"

He had caught her and unconsciously shook her as if to shake the
words out of her. Furiously she struggled with him.

"Let me go. No, no, she is not there! No one is there! You are gone
crazy to stay!