d
in their design; and in order to prevent them, without using violence,
the Arab offered to serve the food and drink himself.

This they permitted him to do; but when the water was offered to Golah
it was again refused.

The black sheik would not receive either food or drink from the hand of
a master.

The sangleh was then consumed by the Arab with a real or sham profession
of gratitude; the water was poured into a bucket, and given to one of
the camels; and the two calabashes were returned to the women.

Neither a keen longing for food, nor a burning thirst for water, could
divert Golah's thoughts from the contemplation of something that was
causing his soul extreme anguish.

His physical torture seemed, for the time, extinguished by some deep
mental agony.

Again the wives, the unloved ones, advanced towards him, bearing water
and food; and again the Arab stepped forward to intercept them. The two
women persisted in their design, and, while opposing the efforts of the
Arab to turn them back, they called on the two youths, the relatives of
the black sheik, as also on Fatima, to assist them.

Of the three persons thus appealed to, only Golah's son obeyed their
summons; but his attempt to aid the women was immediately frustrated by
the Arab, who claimed him as a slave, and who now commanded him to stand
aside. His command having no effect, the Arab proceeded to use force.
At the risk of his life the youth resisted. He dared to use violence
against a master, a crime that on the desert demands the punishment of
death.

Aroused from his painful reverie by the commotion going on around him,
Golah, seeing the folly of the act, shouted to his son to be calm, and
yield obedience; but the youth, not heeding the command of his father,
continued his resistance. He was just on the point of being cut down,
when the Krooman ran forward, and pronouncing in Arabic two words
signifying "father and son", saved the youth's life. The Arab robber
had sufficient respect for the relationship to stay his hand from
committing murder; but to prevent any further trouble with the young
fellow, he was seized by several others, fast bound, and flung to the
ground by the side of his father.

The two women, still persisting in their design to relieve the wants of
their unfortunate husband, were then knocked down, kicked, beaten, and
finally dragged inside the tents.

This scene was witnessed by Fatima; who, instead of showing sympat