r before
them. At the moment of Iskender's entrance there was a puzzled look
upon each bearded face, directed towards the Frank in perfect courtesy.
The arrival of an interpreter was hailed with exclamations of relief.

Iskender, having made obeisance, was invited to take a place in the
circle. From the join of two camel's hair curtains screening an inner
tent, he fancied he could see bright eyes of women peeping.

"Is this the great Emir, of whom report has reached us?" he was asked.
"And if so, how comes he to travel with so small a retinue?"

The Frank's eyes dwelt upon Iskender's face with an intensity of
distrust that neighboured actual hatred. He still believed his friend
in league with the marauders.

"It is true; he is an Emir of the noblest, O my lords," Iskender
answered; "but, may it please your Honours, he has not that wealth to
which his rank entitles him. Indeed, for one in his position, he is
poor."

The chieftains of the Bedu nodded comprehension, for poor Emirs were
not unknown among them. They murmured of compassion saying:

"May Allah make him very rich and powerful!"

But one objected:

"Why then does he travel? The rich among the Franks come hither for
adventure and to rest their stomachs after too much feasting; their
learned come to find out ancient ruins, and study the writings of the
idolaters which are found here and there among the rocks. But why
should this poor noble youth have wandered hither?"

"Aye, answer us that, O Nazarene! Why, why, and for what reason?" came
the chorus.

Iskender found himself at a loss, being loth to revive his lord's anger
by naming the valley of the gold in his hearing; he was looking up and
down in the vain search for inspiration, when the Emir himself came
unexpectedly to his relief. With an ironical glance at the
interpreter, the Englishman mustered all his Arabic and, turning to a
sheykh who was his neighbour, asked:

"Is there a wady named Wady 'l Muluk?"

"Wady 'l Muluk!" cried all the elders in surprise; and then, in the
twinkling of an eye, their foreheads cleared from all bewilderment.
Wady 'l Muluk! Ah to be sure! The vale in which lay scattered all the
treasure of the ancient kings. So that was what his Honour came to
seek!

Iskender was no less perplexed than was his lord by all this outcry,
when the chief of all the tribe leaned towards him, saying:

"I understand. He seeks the Valley of the Kings," and touched his
fore