ere not hesitating on the verge of the
infinite pit.

The donkeys knew the way. They trod daintily, like little
ladies, along a circling track that goats made and men had
certainly done nothing to improve. We made an almost complete
ellipse around and down, and rode at last over dry dung at the
bottom, into which the donkeys' feet sank as into a three-pile
carpet. You could see the stars overhead, but nothing, where we
were, except that window and a shaft of yellow light with
hundreds of moths dazzled in it.

We must have made some noise in spite of the donkeys' vetvet
foot-fall. As we crossed the shaft of light a door opened within
six feet of the window. A man in Arab deshabille with a red
tarboosh awry, thrust out his head and drew it in again quickly.

"Is that the American?" he asked. He held the door so that he
could slam it in our faces if required.

The guide made no answer. I gave my name. The man opened the
door wider.

"Lailtak sa'idi, effendi! Hishkur Allah! Come in, mister!" The
guide led the donkeys away to some invisible place. I crossed
the threshold, my host holding his tin lantern carefully to show
the two steps leading down to a flag-stone floor. He bolted the
door the moment I was inside. He seemed in a great state of
excitement, and afraid to make any noise. Even when he shot the
bolt he did it silently.

It was a square room, moderately clean, furnished only with a
table and two chairs. There were other rooms leading off it, but
the stone partitions did not reach as high as the thatch and I
could hear rustling, and some one snoring. I sat on one of the
chairs at his invitation, and rather hoped for supper, having had
none. But supper was not in his mind; it seemed he had too much
else to worry him. He looked like a man who worried easily, and
likely enough with good reason, for his long nose and narrow eyes
did not suggest honesty.

"There was to be an escort to meet me here," I said.

"Yes, yes. Thank God, mister, you have come at last. If you had
only come at sunset! Ali has gone to bring them now."

"Who is Ali?"

"He with one eye. He who brought you. Your escort came at
sunset. Because I am Christian they would not listen to me or
wait for you in my house. There are twenty of them, led by
Anazeh, who is a bad rascal. They have gone to raid the
villages. There has been trouble. I have heard two shots fired.
Now they will come back to my house, and if