th disdain at Higli.

A smile rose like liquid in the eye of Nahoum and subsided, then he
turned to Higli inquiringly.

"I have come on business, Excellency; the railway to Rosetta, and--"

"To-morrow--or the next day," responded Nahoum irritably, and turned
again to Lacey.

As Higli's huge frame disappeared through a gateway, Nahoum motioned
Lacey to a divan, and summoned a slave for cooling drinks. Lacey's eyes
now watched him with an innocence nearly as childlike as his own. Lacey
well knew that here was a foe worthy of the best steel. That he was a
foe, and a malignant foe, he had no doubt whatever; he had settled the
point in his mind long ago; and two letters he had received from Lady
Eglington, in which she had said in so many words, "Watch Nahoum!"
had made him vigilant and intuitive. He knew, meanwhile, that he was
following the trail of a master-hunter who covered up his tracks. Lacey
was as certain as though he had the book of Nahoum's mind open in his
hand, that David's work had been torn down again--and this time with
dire effect--by this Armenian, whom David trusted like a brother. But
the black doors that closed on the truth on every side only made him
more determined to unlock them; and, when he faltered as to his own
powers, he trusted Mahommed Hassan, whose devotion to David had given
him eyes that pierced dark places.

"Surely the God of Israel has smitten Claridge Pasha sorely. My
heart will mourn to look upon his face. The day is insulting in its
brightness," continued Nahoum with a sigh, his eyes bent upon Lacey,
dejection in his shoulders.

Lacey started. "The God of Israel!" How blasphemous it sounded from the
lips of Nahoum, Oriental of Orientals, Christian though he was also!

"I think, perhaps, you'll get over it, pasha. Man is born to trouble,
and you've got a lot of courage. I guess you could see other people bear
a pile of suffering, and never flinch."

Nahoum appeared not to notice the gibe. "It is a land of suffering,
effendi," he sighed, "and one sees what one sees."

"Have you any idea, any real sensible idea, how those cotton-mills got
afire?" Lacey's eyes were fixed on Nahoum's face.

The other met his gaze calmly. "Who can tell! An accident, perhaps,
or--"

"Or some one set the mills on fire in several places at once--they say
the buildings flamed out in every corner; and it was the only time in a
month they hadn't been running night and day. Funny, isn't it?"

"It loo