assan discusses
matters of the highest importance with the Amenokal and his
chieftains. This is the Sitt Izubahil, high in the councils of her
people due to the great knowledge she has gained by attending the new
schools which dispense rare wisdom, as all men know."

The Amenokal courteously said, "_La Bas_," but Isobel held her peace
in decency amongst men of chieftain rank.

When Homer and the Tuaregs had disappeared into the tent, she said to
Cliff, "Stick by the car, I'm going to circulate among the women.
Women are women everywhere. I'll pick up the gossip, possibly get
something Homer will miss in there."

A group of Tuareg women and children, the latter stark naked, had
gathered to gape at the strangers. Isobel moved toward them, began
immediately breaking the ice.

Under his breath, Cliff muttered, "What a gal. Give her a few hours
and she'll form a Lady's Aid branch, or a bridge club, and where else
is El Hassan going to pick up so much inside information?"

* * * * *

The tent, which was of the highly considered mouflon skins, was
mounted on a wooden frame which consisted of two uprights with a
horizontal member laid across their tops. The tent covering was
stretched over this framework with its back and sides pegged down and
the front, which faced south, was left open. It was ten feet deep,
fifteen feet wide and five feet high in the middle.

The men entered and filed to the right of the structure where
sheepskins and rugs provided seating. The women and children, who
abided ordinarily to the left side, had vanished for this gathering of
the great.

They sat for a time and sipped at green tea, syrup sweet with mint and
sugar, the tiny cups held under the teguelmoust so as not to obscenely
reveal the mouth of the drinker.

Finally, Homer Crawford said, "You spoke of the magical instrument of
the Roumi which I gave you as gift, O Amenokal, and named me El
Hassan."

Several of the Tuareg chuckled beneath their veils but Crawford could
read neither warmth nor antagonism in their amusement.

The elderly Melchizedek nodded. "At first we were bewildered, O El
Hassan, but then my sister's son, Guemama, fated perhaps one day to
become chief of the Kel Rela and Amenokal of all the Ahaggar, recalled
the tales told by the storytellers at the fire in the long evenings."

Crawford looked at him politely.

Melchizedek's laugh was gentle. "But each man has heard, in his time,