served to disarm his enemies. But they
served not now. Instead, they did but fan the flames of Asad's wrath.

"Blaspheme not," he croaked, and his tall form quivered with rage, his
sallow old face grew vulturine. "She was brought thus aboard in secret
out of fear that were her presence known thy true purpose too must stand
revealed."

"And whatever that true purpose may have been," put in Marzak, "it was
not the task entrusted thee of raiding the Spanish treasure-galley."

"'Tis what I mean, my son," Asad agreed. Then with a commanding gesture:
"Wilt thou tell me without further lies what thy purpose was?" he asked.

"How?" said Sakr-el-Bahr, and he smiled never so faintly. "Hast thou not
said that this purpose was revealed by what I did? Rather, then, I think
is it for me to ask thee for some such information. I do assure thee, my
lord, that it was no part of my intention to neglect the task entrusted
me. But just because I feared lest knowledge of her presence might lead
my enemies to suppose what thou art now supposing, and perhaps persuade
thee to forget all that I have done for the glory of Islam, I determined
to bring her secretly aboard.

"My real aim, since you must know it, was to land her somewhere on the
coast of France, whence she might return to her own land, and her own
people. That done, I should have set about intercepting the Spanish
galley, and never fear but that by Allah's favour I should have
succeeded."

"By the horns of Shaitan," swore Marzak, thrusting himself forward, "he
is the very father and mother of lies. Wilt thou explain this desire to
be rid of a wife thou hadst but wed?" he demanded.

"Ay," growled Asad. "Canst answer that?"

"Thou shalt hear the truth," said Sakr-el-Bahr.

"The praise to Allah!" mocked Marzak.

"But I warn you," the corsair continued, "that to you it will seem less
easy to believe by much than any falsehood I could invent. Years ago in
England where I was born I loved this woman and should have taken her
to wife. But there were men and circumstances that defamed me to her
so that she would not wed me, and I went forth with hatred of her in my
heart. Last night the love of her which I believed to be dead and turned
to loathing, proved to be still a living force. Loving her, I came to
see that I had used her unworthily, and I was urged by a desire above
all others to undo the evil I had done."

On that he paused, and after an instant's silence Asad laughed a