e of large iron links,
with several sharp, square swivels in it, and these Abdu so placed
that they projected from the rest. Having arranged it to his fancy,
he seized his prisoner's hair, and raising his head by it, placed
the bunch of chain beneath it, and then, with brutal force, pushed
him back on to the sharp, rusty iron.

"You must have a pillow," he laughed, as he saw George wince with
pain.

The moment Abdu had released his head, Helmar raised it from the
cruel iron and moved himself away, but the Egyptian was ready in a
moment; the knife flashed, and George felt its keen point prick
through his clothes.

"Ah! you would refuse my kindness, would you? This must not be," and
he pushed the chain again beneath the prisoner's head. "So, if you
move again the knife will go farther in next time."

George now found himself compelled to remain with the chain under
his head. Strain as he would, to keep from resting upon it, the
motion and jolting of the train made it pummel the back of his
skull, until he felt that he should soon go mad. Once or twice, in
desperation, he moved, but the wretch was as good as his word, and
the point of his knife was dug into his legs and arms until his
clothes were covered with blood.

After half-an-hour of this Abdu seemed to have had enough of the
pastime, and with a sneering laugh removed the chain, and then
returned to his companions at the end of the car.

Helmar all this time had not uttered one word. Notwithstanding the
agony he had endured, and the pain of the wounds Abdu had inflicted
upon him, he had not allowed a single sound to escape him, but it
was with a sigh of intense relief that he saw the little monster
rejoin his friends.

The guards, for a time, now seemed to ignore the presence of their
prisoner and spoke in louder tones. Possibly Abdu was not aware that
his prisoner could speak Arabic, for they conversed quite freely,
and George distinctly heard every word they said. Abdu was the man
his attention was mainly fixed upon.

"No, no," he was saying, "the officer Arden has been fooled by this
Naoum. Arabi would have killed him at once but for the money-man
Naoum. I tell you he is his friend, and we will have no power to
harm him."

"But Arden is powerful, and while Naoum is away, will be able to do
as he likes," replied one of the men, in a tone of conviction.

"You are a fool, and cannot see before your nose," cried Abdu,
irritably. "Arabi dare not quarrel