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inclined to cross…question the Belgian too minutely。
〃And if I ride north with you；〃 he asked； 〃half the
jewels and half the ransom of the woman shall be mine？〃
〃Yes；〃 replied Werper。
〃Good；〃 said Mohammed Beyd。 〃I go now to give the
order for the breaking of camp early on the morrow；〃
and he rose to leave the tent。
Werper laid a detaining hand upon his arm。
〃Wait；〃 he said； 〃let us determine how many shall
accompany us。 It is not well that we be burdened by
the women and children； for then indeed we might be
overtaken by the Abyssinians。 It would be far better
to select a small guard of your bravest men； and leave
word behind that we are riding WEST。 Then； when
the Abyssinians come they will be put upon the wrong
trail should they have it in their hearts to pursue us；
and if they do not they will at least ride north with
less rapidity than as though they thought that we were
ahead of them。〃
〃The serpent is less wise than thou； Werper；〃 said
Mohammed Beyd with a smile。 〃It shall be done as you
say。 Twenty men shall accompany us； and we shall ride
WESTwhen we leave the village。〃
〃Good；〃 cried the Belgian； and so it was arranged。
Early the next morning Jane Clayton； after an almost
sleepless night； was aroused by the sound of voices
outside her prison； and a moment later； M。 Frecoult；
and two Arabs entered。 The latter unbound her ankles
and lifted her to her feet。 Then her wrists were
loosed； she was given a handful of dry bread； and led
out into the faint light of dawn。
She looked questioningly at Frecoult； and at a moment
that the Arab's attention was attracted in another
direction the man leaned toward her and whispered that
all was working out as he had planned。 Thus assured；
the young woman felt a renewal of the hope which the
long and miserable night of bondage had almost expunged。
Shortly after； she was lifted to the back of a horse；
and surrounded by Arabs； was escorted through the
gateway of the village and off into the jungle toward
the west。 Half an hour later the party turned north；
and northerly was their direction for the balance of
the march。
M。 Frecoult spoke with her but seldom； and she
understood that in carrying out his deception he must
maintain the semblance of her captor； rather than
protector； and so she suspected nothing though she saw
the friendly relations which seemed to exist between
the European and the Arab leader of the band。
If Werper succeeded in keeping himself from
conversation with the young woman； he failed signally
to expel her from his thoughts。 A hundred times a day
he found his eyes wandering in her direction and
feasting themselves upon her charms of face and figure。
Each hour his infatuation for her grew； until his
desire to possess her gained almost the proportions of
madness。
If either the girl or Mohammed Beyd could have guessed
what passed in the mind of the man which each thought a
friend and ally； the apparent harmony of the little
company would have been rudely disturbed。
Werper had not succeeded in arranging to tent with
Mohammed Beyd； and so he revolved many plans for the
assassination of the Arab that would have been greatly
simplified had he been permitted to share the other's
nightly shelter。
Upon the second day out Mohammed Beyd reined his horse
to the side of the animal on which the captive was
mounted。 It was； apparently； the first notice which
the Arab had taken of the girl； but many times during
these two days had his cunning eyes peered greedily
from beneath the hood of his burnoose to gloat upon the
beauties of the prisoner。
Nor was this hidden infatuation of any recent origin。
He had conceived it when first the wife of the
Englishman had fallen into the hands of Achmet Zek； but
while that austere chieftain lived； Mohammed Beyd had
not even dared hope for a realization of his
imaginings。
Now； though； it was differentonly a despised dog of a
Christian stood between himself and possession of the
girl。 How easy it would be to slay the unbeliever； and
take unto himself both the woman and the jewels！ With
the latter in his possession； the ransom which might be
obtained for the captive would form no great inducement
to her relinquishment in the face of the pleasures of
sole ownership of her。 Yes； he would kill Werper；
retain all the jewels and keep the Englishwoman。
He turned his eyes upon her as she rode along at his
side。 How beautiful she was！ His fingers opened and
closedskinny； brown talons itching to feel the soft
flesh of the victim in their remorseless clutch。
〃Do you know；〃 he asked leaning toward her； 〃where this
man would take you？〃
Jane Clayton nodded affirmatively。
〃And you are willing to become the plaything of a black
sultan？〃
The girl drew herself up to her full height； and turned
her head away； but she did not reply。 She feared lest
her knowledge of the ruse that M。 Frecoult was playing
upon the Arab might cause her to betray herself through
an insufficient display of terror and aversion。
〃You can escape this fate；〃 continued the Arab；
〃Mohammed Beyd will save you；〃 and he reached out a
brown hand and seized the fingers of her right hand in
a grasp so sudden and so fierce that this brutal
passion was revealed as clearly in the act as though
his lips had confessed it in words。 Jane Clayton
wrenched herself from his grasp。
〃You beast！〃 she cried。 〃Leave me or I shall call M。
Frecoult。〃
Mohammed Beyd drew back with a scowl。 His thin； upper
lip curled upward； revealing his smooth； white teeth。
〃M。 Frecoult？〃 he jeered。 〃There is no such person。
The man's name is Werper。 He is a liar； a thief； and a
murderer。 He killed his captain in the Congo country
and fled to the protection of Achmet Zek。 He led
Achmet Zek to the plunder of your home。 He followed
your husband； and planned to steal his gold from him。
He has told me that you think him your protector； and
he has played upon this to win your confidence that it
might be easier to carry you north and sell you into
some black sultan's harem。 Mohammed Beyd is your only
hope；〃 and with this assertion to provide the captive
with food for thought； the Arab spurred forward toward
the head of the column。
Jane Clayton could not know how much of Mohammed Beyd's
indictment might be true； or how much false； but at
least it had the effect of dampening her hopes and
causing her to review with suspicion every past act of
the man upon whom she had been looking as her sole
protector in the midst of a world of enemies and
dangers。
On the march a separate tent had been provided for the
captive； and at night it was pitched between those of
Mohammed Beyd and Werper。 A sentry was posted at the
front and another at the back； and with these
precautions it had not been thought necessary to
confine