g's
preserves. It occurred to me at the moment as vastly safer to
pose as the U.S. President in Washington.

Still, Grim had not actually accepted the situation yet. I
held my breath, trying to remember to look like a product of
Lahore University.

"We were on our way to El-Maan, O Ali Higg, not knowing that your
honor had a hand in this affair."

"Since when is a lion not called a lion?" demanded Grim. "Who
gave thee leave to name me?"

"Pardon, O Lion of Petra! But the woman yonder, boasting with
proper pride that she is Your Honor's wife, bade us approach and
pay respect."

On my left I heard Narayan Singh muttering obscenities through
set teeth. On the right old Ali Baba wore a twinkle in a wicked
eye; the rest of his face was as emotionless as the face of the
desert; but when an old man is amused not even the crow's-feet
can do less than advertise the fact.

"A woman's tongue is like a camel bell," said Grim. "It clatters
unceasingly, and none can silence without choking it. But art
thou a woman?"

"Pardon, O Lion of Petra!"

There followed a long pause. When men meet in the desert it is
only those from the West who are in any hurry to betray their
business. There being an infinity of time, that man is a liar who
proclaims a shortage of it.

"Will the sun not rise tomorrow?" asks the East.

Grim stood like a statue; and, judging by my own feelings, who
had nothing at all to do but look on, I should say that was a
test of strength.

"Last week the train was punctual at El-Maan--three hours after
sunrise," said the spokesman at last.

On lines where there is only one train a week it is not unusual
for its arrival to be the chief social event on the country-side,
but that hardly seemed to me to account for the way those five
men had been driving their camels. However, as Grim knew no more
of their business than the rest of us, and needed desperately to
find out, he was careful to ask no questions.

No desert responds to the inquisitive folk who camp on its edge
and demand to be told; but it will tell you all it knows if you
keep quiet and govern yourself in accordance with its moods. The
men who live in the desert are of the same pattern--fierce, hot,
cold, intolerant, cruel, secretive, given to covering their
tracks, and yet not without oases that are better than much fine
gold to the man who knows how to find them. They enjoy a proverb
better than some other men like promises.

"Allah marks th