ot the Unknown, who so basely cost you a noble member
of your body, and even put your life in danger?" inquired Selim.

"Perhaps there were hours at first," answered the Greek, "in which my
heart accused him before God, of having brought this misfortune upon
me, and embittered my life; but I found consolation in the religion of
my fathers, which commanded me to love my enemies. Moreover, he
probably is more unhappy than myself."

"You are a noble man!" exclaimed Selim, cordially pressing the hand of
the Greek.

The leader of the escort, however, here interrupted their
conversation. He came with a troubled air into the tent, and told them
that they could not give themselves up to repose, for this was the
place in which Caravans were usually attacked, and his guards imagined
they had seen several horsemen in the distance.

The merchants were confounded at this intelligence. Selim, the
stranger, however, expressed wonder at their alarm, saying they were
so well escorted they need not fear a troop of Arabian robbers.

"Yes, sir," rejoined to him the leader of the guard; "were he only a
common outlaw, we could compose ourselves to rest without anxiety; but
for some time back, the frightful Orbasan has shown himself again, and
it is well to be upon our guard."

The stranger inquired who this Orbasan was, and Achmet, the old
merchant, answered him:--

"Various rumors are current among the people with respect to this
wonderful man. Some hold him to be a supernatural being, because, with
only five or six men, he has frequently fallen upon a whole
encampment; others regard him as a bold Frenchman, whom misfortune has
driven into this region: out of all this, however, thus much alone is
certain, that he is an abandoned robber and highwayman."

"That can you not prove," answered Lezah, one of the merchants.
"Robber as he is, he is still a noble man, and such has he shown
himself to my brother, as I can relate to you. He has formed his
whole band of well-disciplined men, and as long as he marches through
the desert, no other band ventures to show itself. Moreover, he robs
not as others, but only exacts a tribute from the caravans; whoever
willingly pays this, proceeds without further danger, for Orbasan is
lord of the wilderness!"

Thus did the travellers converse together in the tent; the guards,
however, who were stationed around the resting-place, began to become
uneasy. A tolerably large band of armed horsemen showed