id had evaded her
enquiries, and would say no more than that Amru's representative
had come to speak with the young master. It seemed to be something
important, perhaps some false accusation.

The interpreter now explained that Orion himself was accused of having
planned and aided an enterprise which had cost the lives of twelve Arab
soldiers; and, as she knew, any injury inflicted even on a single Moslem
by an Egyptian was punished by death and the confiscation of his goods.
Besides this, her son was accused of a robbery.

At the close of this communication, to which Neforis listened with a
vacant stare, horrified and at last almost crushed, the interpreter
begged that she would grant the Vekeel an audience.

"Not just yet--give me a few minutes," said the widow, bringing out
the words with difficulty: first she must have recourse to her secret
specific. When she had done so, she expressed her readiness to
see Obada. Her son's swarthy foe was anxious to appear a mild and
magnanimous man in her eyes, so it was with flattering servility and
many smirking grins that he communicated to her the necessity for her
quitting the house in which she had passed the longest and happiest half
of her life, and no later than next day.

To his announcement that her private fortune would remain untouched, and
that she would be at liberty to reside in Memphis or to go to her own
house in Alexandria, she indifferently replied that "she should see."

She then enquired whether the Arabs had yet succeeded in capturing her
son.

"Not actually," replied the Vekeel. "But we know where he is hiding,
and by to-morrow or the next day we shall lay hands on the unhappy young
man."

But, as he spoke, the widow detected a malicious gleam in his eyes to
which, so far, he had tried to give a sympathetic expression, and she
went on with a slight shake of the bead: "Then it is a case of life and
death?"

"Compose yourself, noble lady," was the reply. "Of death alone."

Neforis looked up to heaven and for some minutes did not speak; then she
asked:

"And who has accused him of robbery?" "The head of his own Church...."

"Benjamin?" she murmured with a peculiar smile. Only yesterday she had
made her will in favor of the patriarch and the Church. "If Benjamin
could see that," said she to herself, "he would change his views of you
and your people, and have prayers constantly said for us."

As she spoke no more the Vekeel sat looking at her inqu