perty
I will confiscate the moment I have the government of the country in my
hands. But then I only add my ten thousand piastres to the amount of my
debt. Ten thousand piastres in coin are a very different affair. They
will jingle in the great Sheikh's purse. His people will think he has
got the treasure of Solomon. It will do; he will give them all a gold
kaireen apiece, and they will braid them in their girls' hair.'

'It will scarcely buy camels for Sheikh Salem's widow,' said Eva.

'I will manage that,' said Fakredeen. 'The great Sheikh has camels
enough, and I will give him arms in exchange.'

'Arms at Canobia will not reach the stony wilderness.'

'No; but I have got arms nearer at hand; that is, my friend, my friend
whom I am going to meet at Gaza, has some; enough, and to spare. By the
Holy Sepulchre, I see it!' said Fakredeen. 'I tell you how I will manage
the whole business. The great Sheikh wants arms; well, I will give
him five hundred muskets for the ransom, and he shall have the convoy
besides. He'll take it. I know him. He thinks now all is lost, and, when
he finds that he is to have a jingling purse and English muskets enough
to conquer Tadmor, he will close.'

'But how are we to get these arms?' said Eva.

'Why, Scheriff Effendi, to be sure. You know I am to meet him at Gaza
the day after to-morrow, and receive his five thousand muskets. Well,
five hundred for the great Sheikh will make them four thousand five
hundred; no great difference.'

'Scheriff Effendi!' said Eva, with some surprise. 'I thought I had
obtained three months' indulgence for you with Scheriff Effendi.'

'Ah! yes--no,' said Fakredeen, blushing. 'The fact is, Eva, darling,
beloved Eva, it is no use telling any more lies. I only asked you to
speak to Scheriff Effendi to obtain time for me about payment to throw
you off the scent, as you so strongly disapproved of my buccaneering
project. But Scheriff Effendi is a camel. I was obliged to agree to meet
him at Gaza on the new moon, pay him his two hundred thousand piastres,
and receive the cargo. Well, I turn circumstances to account. The great
Sheikh will convey the muskets to the mountains.'

'But who is to pay for them?' inquired Eva.

'Why, if men want to head the Asian movement, they must have muskets,'
said Fakredeen; 'and, after all, as we are going to save the English
prince two millions of piastres, I do not think he can object to paying
Scheriff Effendi for his goods;