ling
sickness, none knew what, attacking both beast and man. They had made
the town at the edge of the desert. Physicians were found and rest
taken. Recuperation and trading proceeded amicably together. The day
of departure wheeling round, the noontide prayer was made with an
especial fervor and attention. Then from the _caravanserai_ forth
stepped the camels.

The sun descending, the caravan threw a giant shadow upon the sand.
Ridge and wave of sterile earth broke it, confused it, made it an
unintelligible, ragged, moving, and monstrous shade. The sun was red
and huge. As it lowered to the desert rim Zeyn al-Din gave the order
for the seven-hour halt. The orb touched the sand; prayer carpets were
spread.

Night of stars unnumbered, the ineffable tent, arched the desert. The
caravan, a small thing in the world, lay at rest. The meal was over.
Here was coolness after heat, repose after toil. The fires that had
been kindled from scrub and waste lessened, died away. Zeyn al-Din
appointed the guards for the night, went himself the rounds.

Where one of the fires had burned he found certain of those men who
were not merchants nor servants of merchants, yet traveled with the
caravan. Here were Hassan the Scribe, and Ali the Wanderer, and the
dervish Abdallah, and others. Here was the big Christian from some
outlandish far-away country, who had dwelt for the better part of a
year in the city whence the caravan started, who had money and a wish
to reach the city toward which the caravan journeyed. In the first
city he had become, it seemed, well liked by Yusuf the Physician, that
was the man that Zeyn al-Din most admired in life. It was Yusuf who
had recommended the Christian to Zeyn, who did not like infidel
sojourners with caravans. Zeyn himself was liberal and did not so much
mind, but he had had experience with troubles created along the way
and in the column itself. The more ignorant or the stiffer sort
thought it unpleasing to Allah. But Zeyn al-Din would do anything
really that Yusuf the Physician wanted. So in the end the big
Christian came along. Zeyn, interpreting fealty to Yusuf to mean care
in some measure for this infidel's well-being, began at once with a
few minutes' riding each day beside him. These insensibly expanded to
more than a few. He presently liked the infidel. "He is a man!" said
Zeyn and that was the praise that he considered highest. The big
Christian rode strongly a strong horse; he did not fret