erests of true religion as much as you please.'

CHAPTER XXXIV.

_In the Valley of the Shadow_

THEN days had elapsed since the capture of Tancred; Amalek and his Arabs
were still encamped in the rocky city; the beams of the early sun were
just rising over the crest of the amphitheatre, when four horsemen, who
were recognised as the children of Rechab, issued from the ravine. They
galloped over the plain, shouted, and threw their lances in the air.
From the crescent of black tents came forth the warriors, some mounted
their horses and met their returning brethren, others prepared their
welcome. The horses neighed, the camels stirred their long necks. All
living things seemed conscious that an event had occurred.

The four horsemen were surrounded by their brethren; but one of them,
giving and returning blessings, darted forward to the pavilion of the
great Sheikh.

'Have you brought camels, Shedad, son of Amroo?' inquired one of the
welcomers to the welcomed.

'We have been to El Khuds,' was the reply. 'What we have brought back is
a seal of Solomon.

'From Mount Seir to the City of the Friend, what have you seen in the
joyful land?'

'We found the sons of Hamar by the well-side of Jumda; we found the
marks of many camels in the pass of Gharendel, and the marks in the pass
of Gharendel were not the marks of the camels of the Beni-Hamar.'

'I had a dream, and the children of Tora said to me, "Who art thou in
the hands of our father's flocks? Are none but the sons of Rechab to
drink the sweet waters of Edom?" Methinks the marks in the pass of
Gharendel were the marks of the camels of the children of Tora.'

'There is a feud between the Beni-Tora and the Beni-Hamar,' replied the
other Arab, shaking his head. 'The Beni-Tora are in the wilderness of
Akiba, and the Beni-Hamar have burnt their tents and captured their
camels and their women. This is why the sons of Hamar are watering their
flocks by the well of Jumda.'

In the meantime, the caravan, of which the four horsemen were the
advanced guard, issued from the pass into the plain.

'Shedad, son of Amroo,' exclaimed one of the Bedouins, 'what! have you
captured an harem?' For he beheld dromedaries and veiled women.

The great Sheikh came forth from his pavilion and sniffed the morning
air; a dignified smile played over his benignant features, and once he
smoothed his venerable beard.

'My son-in-law is a true son of Israel,' he murmured complac