Stephen looked up, a finger on
the trigger of his revolver.

"Five minutes more," were the words which repeated themselves in his
mind, like the ticking of a watch. "Four minutes. Three. Can I keep my
promise to her, when the time comes!"

A shout broke the question short, like a snapped thread.

He remembered the voice of the marabout, and knew that the sisters must
recognize it also.

"What does he say?" Stephen called across the room to Victoria, speaking
loudly to be heard over voices which answered the summons, whatever it
might be.

"He's ordering Maieddine to come down from the roof. He says five
seconds' delay and it will be too late--they'll both be ruined. I can't
hear what Maieddine answers. But he goes on working still--he won't
obey."

"Fool--traitor! For thy sentimental folly wilt thou sacrifice thy
people's future and ruin my son and me?" Cassim shouted, as the girl
stood still to listen. "Thou canst never have her now. Stay, and thou
canst do naught but kill thyself. Come, and we may all be saved. I
command thee, in the name of Allah and His Prophet, that thou obey me."

The pounding stopped. There was a rushing, sliding sound on the roof.
Then all was quiet above and in the courtyard.

Saidee broke into hysterical sobbing, crying that they were rescued,
that Honore Sabine was on his way to save them. And Victoria thought
that Stephen would come to her, but he did not. They were to live, not
to die, and the barrier that had been broken down was raised again.

* * * * * * *

"What if it's only a trap?" Saidee asked, as Stephen opened the door.
"What if they're behind the barricade, watching?"

"Listen! Don't you hear shots?" Victoria cried.

"Yes. There are shots--far away," Stephen answered. "That settles it.
There's no ambush. Either Sabine or the soldiers marching from Azzouz
are after them. They didn't go an instant too soon to save their skins."

"And ours," murmured Nevill, roused from his stupor. "Queer, how natural
it seems that we should be all right after all." Then his mind wandered
a little, leading him back to a feverish dream. "Ask Sabine, when he
comes--if he's got a letter for me--from Josette."

Stephen opened the door, and let in the fresh air and morning light, but
the sight in the quadrangle was too ugly for the eyes of women. "Don't
come out!" he called sharply over his shoulder as he turned past the
barricade, with Ro