eeling over by Grim's tent, and three almost as seedy-looking
individuals were talking to Grim in the midst of our camp, with
most of our gang seated in a semicircle listening. Grim had out
his traveling water-pipe for the sake of effect, and was puffing
away at it while he meditated on the information that was being
drawn forth gradually. Ayisha was seated on the mat beside him.

The man with the squeak in his voice, who did most of the
talking, was a very dark-skinned fellow with a short, coal-black,
curly beard. He had little gold rings in his ears, and in spite
of the filthy condition of his clothes he wore an opulent
look--the sort that suggests intimate acquaintance with the
fabled riches of the East. I have seen a Moor, who hadn't a coin
with which to bless himself, create exactly the same impression
by simply being dark and handsome.

He was eating dates while he talked, so I suppose Grim had been
to some pains to make him feel welcome. But he hadn't been
there long.

_"Wallahi!"_ he said as I joined the circle. "But Your Honor is
surely Ali Higg, and that is the lady Ayisha! Your Honor is
pleased to pretend otherwise, but am I blind? I, who come
straight from Petra where Your Honor paid me, am not thus
easily deceived!

"Lo, the good camels! It was easy to make a wide circuit, and
reach this place a day ahead of me; but what is Your Honor's
purpose? What do you want with me, O Lion of Petra?"

"Nevertheless," said Grim, "I am not Ali Higg, who styles himself
Lion of Petra."

"Is that not the lady Ayisha?" he retorted. "True, I have only
seen you in the dark, but have I not seen her at the least ten
times? Was it not she who had my servant flogged on a former
occasion because he likened her to other women?"

Grim said nothing to that. Ayisha drew the embroidered head-cloth
over her face, I suppose to hide a smile.

"For what purpose did you visit Petra?" Grim inquired.

_"Mashalla!_ Did I not receive payment from Your Honor? I do
not understand!"

"It is I who do not understand," said Grim. "Repeat to me what
you did at Petra."

"But Your Honor knows!"

"Very well. Return with me to Petra. I have reasons for asking."

_"Wallahi!_ If it suits Your Honor's humor to make me tell you a
tenth time what I have nine times said already, I have a tongue
that wags. But I see that another has been telling tales of me
behind my back, making me out a liar for his own purposes.
_Inshallah,_ it shall be fou