out the project I
had formed, as already I have frankly made confession. Let us put to sea
again at dawn--or this very night if thou wilt--make for the coast of
France, and there set her ashore that she may go back to her own people
and we be rid of her disturbing presence. Then we will return--there is
time and to spare--and here or elsewhere lurk in wait for this Spanish
argosy, seize the booty and sail home in amity to Algiers, this
incident, this little cloud in the splendour of our comradeship, behind
us and forgotten as though it had never been. Wilt thou, Asad--for the
glory of the Prophet's Law?"

The bait was cunningly presented, so cunningly that not for a moment did
Asad or even the malicious Marzak suspect it to be just a bait and no
more. It was his own life, become a menace to Asad, that Sakr-el-Bahr
was offering him in exchange for the life and liberty of that Frankish
slave-girl, but offering it as if unconscious that he did so.

Asad considered, temptation gripping, him. Prudence urged him to accept,
so that affecting to heal the dangerous breach that now existed he
might carry Sakr-el-Bahr back to Algiers, there, beyond the aid of any
friendly mutineers, to have him strangled. It was the course to adopt
in such a situation, the wise and sober course by which to ensure the
overthrow of one who from an obedient and submissive lieutenant had
suddenly shown that it was possible for him to become a serious and
dangerous rival.

Sakr-el-Bahr watched the Basha's averted, gleaming eyes under their
furrowed, thoughtful brows, he saw Marzak's face white, tense and eager
in his anxiety that his father should consent. And since his father
continued silent, Marzak, unable longer to contain himself, broke into
speech.

"He is wise, O my father!" was his crafty appeal. "The glory of Islam
above all else! Let him have his way in this, and let the infidel woman
go. Thus shall all be well between us and Sakr-el-Bahr!" He laid such a
stress upon these words that it was obvious he desired them to convey a
second meaning.

Asad heard and understood that Marzak, too, perceived what was here to
do; tighter upon him became temptation's grip; but tighter, too, became
the grip of a temptation of another sort. Before his fierce eyes there
arose a vision of a tall stately maiden with softly rounded bosom, a
vision so white and lovely that it enslaved him. And so he found himself
torn two ways at once. On the one hand, if h