told of ben Nasir. He looked serious when I
mooted El-Kerak--serious, then interested, them speculative.
From where I sat I could watch the changes in his eyes.

"What would the escort amount to?" I asked him.

"Absolute security."

"And what's this bunk about Americans being welcome anywhere?"

"Perfectly true. All the way from Aleppo down to Beersheba. Men
like Dr. Bliss* have made such an impression that an occasional
rotter might easily take advantage of it. Americans in this
country--so far--stand for altruism without ulterior motive.
If we'd accepted the mandate they might have found us out!
Meanwhile, an American is safe." [*President of the American
College at Beirut. Died 1920, probably more respected throughout
the Near East than any ten men of any other nationality.]

"Then I think I'll go to El-Kerak."

Again his eyes grew speculative. I could not tell whether he was
considering me or some problem of his own.

"Speaking unofficially," he said, "there are two possibilities.
You might go without permission--easy enough, provided you don't
talk beforehand. In that case, you'd get there and back; after
which, the Administration would label and index you. The
remainder of your stay in Palestine would be about as exciting
as pushing a perambulator in Prospect Park, Brooklyn. You'd
be canned."

"I'd rather be killed. What's the alternative?"

"Get permission. I shall be at El-Kerak myself within the next
few days. I think it can be arranged."

"D'you mean I can go with you?" I asked, as eager as a schoolboy
for the circus.

"Not on your life! I don't go as an American."

Recalling the first time I had seen him, I sat still and tried to
look like a person who was not thrilled in the least by seeing
secrets from the inside.

"Well," I said, "I'm in your hands."

I think he rather liked that. As I came to know him more
intimately later on he revealed an iron delight in being trusted.
But he did not say another word for several minutes, as if there
were maps in his mind that he was conning before reaching a
decision. Then he spoke suddenly.

"Are you busy?" he asked. "Then come with me."

He phoned to some place or other for a staff automobile, and the
man was there with it within three minutes. We piled in and
drove at totally unholy speed down narrow streets between walls,
around blind right-angle turns where Arab policemen stood waving
unintelligible signals, and up the Mou