cers. That is why she dances, to deceive everyone, not
to make money. She is not as the other dancers. But everyone knows, for
Batouch is mad with jealousy. He cannot bear that Algia should dance
before strangers, but what can he do? A sheik must not have a scandal in
his dwelling.'

"We walked on slowly. When we got to the door of the 'Rendezvous des
Amis' Marnier stood still again, and looked down the deserted, moonlit
camel market.

"'I never knew air like this,' he said in a low voice.

"And once more he expelled the air from his lungs, and drew in a long,
slow breath, as a man does when he has finished his dumbbell exercise in
the morning.

"'Don't drink too much of it,' I said. 'Remember what the aumonier told
us!'

"Marnier looked at me. I thought there was something apprehensive in his
eyes. But he said nothing, and we turned in.

"The next day I rode out with Safti into the desert to visit a sacred
personage of great note in the Sahara, Sidi El Ahmed Ben Daoud
Abderahmann. To my relief Marnier declined to come. He said he was
tired, and would stroll about the city. When we got back at sundown the
innkeeper handed me a note. I opened it, and found it was from the
aumonier, saying that he would be greatly obliged if I would call and
see him on my return, as he had various little curiosities which he
would be glad to show me. Marnier was not in the inn, and, as I had
nothing particular to do, I walked at once to the aumonier's house. As I
have said, it was the last in the town. The dancing-house was on the
opposite side of the way; but the aumonier's dwelling jutted out a
little farther into the desert, and looked full on a deep depression of
soft sand bounded by a big dune, which loomed up like a couchant beast
in the fading yellow light.

"The aumonier met me at his door, and escorted me into a pleasant room,
where his collection of Arab weapons, coins, and old vases, cups, and
various utensils, dug up, he told me, at Tlemcen, was arranged. But to
my surprise he scarcely took time to show it to me before he said:

"'Though a stranger, may I venture to speak rather intimately to you,
monsieur?'

"'Certainly,' I replied, in some astonishment.

"'Your friend is young.'

"'Marnier?'

"'Is that his name? Well, I would not leave him to stroll about too much
alone, if I were you.'

"'Why, monsieur?'

"'He is likely to get into trouble. The people here are a wild and
violent race. He would do well to