saying that the marabout's only son is at school in Oued Tolga, the
city. Tell him to steal the child and hide it, making a bargain with the
marabout that he shall have it safely back, if he will let thee and thy
sister go; otherwise he shall never see it again."

"That would be a cruel thing to do, and my sister could not consent,"
said Victoria, "even if we were able to send a message."

"Hadda would send the message. A friend from the village is coming to
see her, and the master has no suspicion of me at present, as he has of
thee. We could send a letter, and Hadda would manage everything. But
there is not much time, for now while my husband is with Si Maieddine,
treating him for his fever, is our only chance, to-night. We have
perhaps an hour in which to decide and arrange everything. After that,
his coming may be announced to me. And no harm would happen to the
child. The master would suffer in his mind for a short time, till he
decided to make terms, that is all. As for me, have no fear of my
betraying thee. Thou needst but revenge thyself by letting the master
know how I plotted for the stealing of his boy, for him to put me out of
his heart and house forever. Then I should have to kill myself with a
knife, or with poison; and I am young and happy, and do not desire to
die yet. Go now, and tell thy sister what I have said. Let her answer
for thee, for she knows this land and the people of it, and she is wiser
than thou."

Without another word or look at the beautiful pagan face, Victoria went
out of the room, and found Hadda waiting to hurry her away.

XLVI

It was after one o'clock when Stephen and Nevill bade each other good
night, after a stroll out of the town into the desert. They had built up
plans and torn them down again, and no satisfactory decision had been
reached, for both feared that, if they attempted to threaten the
marabout with their knowledge of his past, he would defy them to do
their worst. Without Saidee and Victoria, they could bring forward no
definite and visible proof that the great marabout, Sidi El Hadj
Mohammed Abd el Kadr, and the disgraced Captain Cassim ben Halim were
one. And the supreme difficulty was to produce Saidee and Victoria as
witnesses. It was not even certain, if the marabout were threatened and
thought himself in danger, that he might not cause the sisters to
disappear. That thought prevented the two men from coming easily to any
decision. Sabine had not