and dry. Besides, he has no money except what
the marabout gives him as guardian to the boy at school. Hassan sends
Nedjma such presents as he can afford, and she laughs at them with the
other girls, though she keeps them, of course. To please me, she will
write a letter to Ben Saad, telling him that if he comes to her at once,
without waiting a moment, he may find her heart soft for him. This
letter shall be brought to our table, at the hotel, while Hassan
finishes his _dejeuner_ with us. He will make a thousand apologies and
tell a thousand lies, saying it is a call of business. Probably he will
pretend that it concerns the marabout, of whom he boasts always as his
relative. Then he will go, in a great hurry, leaving the child, because
we will kindly invite him to do so; and he will promise to return soon
for his nephew. But Nedjma will be so sweet that he will not return
soon. He will be a long time away--hours. He will forget the boy, and
everything but his hope that at last Nedjma will love him. Does that
plan of mine fit in with yours, Monsieur?"

"Perfectly," said Knight. "What do you think, Wings?"

"As you do. You're both geniuses. And I'll try to keep my end up by
fascinating the child. He shall be mine, body and soul, by the end of
lunch. When he finds that we're leaving Oued Tolga, instantly, and that
he must be sent ignominiously home, he shall be ready to howl with
grief. Then I'll ask him suddenly, how he'd like to go on a little trip,
just far enough to meet my motor-car, and have a ride in it. He'll say
yes, like a shot, if he's a normal boy. And if the uncle's away, it will
be nobody's business even if they see the marabout's son having a ride
behind me on my horse, as he might with his own father. Trust me to lure
the imp on with us afterward, step by step, in a dream of happiness. I
was always a born lurer--except when I wanted a thing or person for
myself."

"You say, lure him on with 'us'" Stephen cut in. "But it will have to
be you alone. I must stay at this end of the line, and when the time
comes, give the marabout our ultimatum. The delay will be almost
intolerable, but of course the only thing is to lie low until you're so
far on the way to Touggourt with the child, that a rescue scheme would
be no good. Touggourt's a bit on the outskirts of the marabout's zone of
influence, let's hope. Besides, he wouldn't dare attack you there, in
the shadow of the French barracks. It's his business to hel