y. The scowl faded from his face to be
replaced by an expression of dismay.

"Nay, nay, Sakr-el-Bahr, this tone!" he cried.

Sakr-el-Bahr, having slammed the door of conciliation in the face of the
Basha, now opened it again. He became instantly submissive.

"Forgive it," he said. "Blame the devotion of thy servant to thee and
to the Faith he serves with little reck to life. In this very expedition
was I wounded nigh unto death. The livid scar of it is a dumb witness to
my zeal. Where are thy scars, Marzak?"

Marzak quailed before the sudden blaze of that question, and
Sakr-el-Bahr laughed softly in contempt.

"Sit," Asad bade him. "I have been less than just."

"Thou art the very fount and spring of justice, O my lord, as this thine
admission proves," protested the corsair. He sat down again, folding
his legs under him. "I will confess to you that being come so near to
England in that cruise of mine I determined to land and seize one who
some years ago did injure me, and between whom and me there was a score
to settle. I exceeded my intentions in that I carried off two prisoners
instead of one. These prisoners," he ran on, judging that the moment of
reaction in Asad's mind was entirely favourable to the preferment of the
request he had to make, "are not in the bagnio with the others. They are
still confined aboard the carack I seized."

"And why is this?" quoth Asad, but without suspicion now.

"Because, my lord, I have a boon to ask in some reward for the service I
have rendered."

"Ask it, my son."

"Give me leave to keep these captives for myself."

Asad considered him, frowning again slightly. Despite himself, despite
his affection for Sakr-el-Bahr, and his desire to soothe him now that
rankling poison of Fenzileh's infusing was at work again in his mind.

"My leave thou hast," said he. "But not the law's, and the law runs
that no corsair shall subtract so much as the value of an asper from his
booty until the division has been made and his own share allotted him,"
was the grave answer.

"The law?" quoth Sakr-el-Bahr. "But thou art the law, exalted lord."

"Not so, my son. The law is above the Basha, who must himself conform to
it so that he be just and worthy of his high office. And the law I
have recited thee applies even should the corsair raider be the Basha
himself. These slaves of thine must forthwith be sent to the bagnio to
join the others that tomorrow all may be sold in the sok. See it don