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had made for him； a total stranger。
〃I liked you；〃 she said simply。 〃You were unlike the others
who come to the cafe。 You did not speak coarsely to me
the manner in which you gave me money was not an insult。〃
〃What shall you do after tonight？〃 he asked。 〃You cannot return
to the cafe。 Can you even remain with safety in Sidi Aissa？〃
〃Tomorrow it will be forgotten；〃 she replied。 〃But I should
be glad if it might be that I need never return to this or
another cafe。 I have not remained because I wished to；
I have been a prisoner。〃
〃A prisoner！〃 ejaculated Tarzan incredulously。
〃A slave would be the better word；〃 she answered。 〃I was stolen
in the night from my father's DOUAR by a band of marauders。
They brought me here and sold me to the Arab who keeps this cafe。
It has been nearly two years now since I saw the last of mine
own people。 They are very far to the south。 They never come
to Sidi Aissa。〃
〃You would like to return to your people？〃 asked Tarzan。
〃Then I shall promise to see you safely so far as Bou Saada
at least。 There we can doubtless arrange with the commandant
to send you the rest of the way。〃
〃Oh； m'sieur；〃 she cried； 〃how can I ever repay you！ You
cannot really mean that you will do so much for a poor
Ouled…Nail。 But my father can reward you； and he will； for
is he not a great sheik？ He is Kadour ben Saden。〃
〃Kadour ben Saden！〃 ejaculated Tarzan。 〃Why； Kadour
ben Saden is in Sidi Aissa this very night。 He dined
with me but a few hours since。〃
〃My father in Sidi Aissa？〃 cried the amazed girl。
〃Allah be praised then； for I am indeed saved。〃
〃Hssh！〃 cautioned Abdul。 〃Listen。〃
From below came the sound of voices； quite distinguishable
upon the still night air。 Tarzan could not understand the
words； but Abdul and the girl translated。
〃They have gone now；〃 said the latter。 〃It is you they want； m'sieur。
One of them said that the stranger who had offered
money for your slaying lay in the house of Akmed din
Soulef with a broken wrist； but that he had offered a still
greater reward if some would lay in wait for you upon the
road to Bou Saada and kill you。〃
〃It is he who followed m'sieur about the market today；〃
exclaimed Abdul。 〃I saw him again within the cafehim
and another； and the two went out into the inner court after
talking with this girl here。 It was they who attacked and
fired upon us； as we came out of the cafe。 Why do they wish
to kill you； m'sieur？〃
〃I do not know；〃 replied Tarzan； and then； after a pause：
〃Unless〃 But he did not finish； for the thought that had
come to his mind； while it seemed the only reasonable solution
of the mystery； appeared at the same time quite improbable。
Presently the men in the street went away。 The courtyard
and the cafe were deserted。 Cautiously Tarzan lowered
himself to the sill of the girl's window。 The room was empty。
He returned to the roof and let Abdul down； then he
lowered the girl to the arms of the waiting Arab。
From the window Abdul dropped the short distance to the
street below； while Tarzan took the girl in his arms and leaped
down as he had done on so many other occasions in his
own forest with a burden in his arms。 A little cry of alarm
was startled from the girl's lips； but Tarzan landed in the
street with but an imperceptible jar； and lowered her in safety
to her feet。
She clung to him for a moment。
〃How strong m'sieur is； and how active；〃 she cried。
〃EL ADREA； the black lion； himself is not more so。〃
〃I should like to meet this EL ADREA of yours；〃 he said。
〃I have heard much about him。〃
〃And you come to the DOUAR of my father you shall see
him；〃 said the girl。 〃He lives in a spur of the mountains
north of us； and comes down from his lair at night to rob my
father's DOUAR。 With a single blow of his mighty paw he
crushes the skull of a bull； and woe betide the belated
wayfarer who meets EL ADREA abroad at night。〃
Without further mishap they reached the hotel。 The sleepy
landlord objected strenuously to instituting a search for
Kadour ben Saden until the following morning； but a piece
of gold put a different aspect on the matter； so that a few
moments later a servant had started to make the rounds of
the lesser native hostelries where it might be expected that a
desert sheik would find congenial associations。 Tarzan had
felt it necessary to find the girl's father that night； for
fear he might start on his homeward journey too early in the
morning to be intercepted。
They had waited perhaps half an hour when the messenger
returned with Kadour ben Saden。 The old sheik entered
the room with a questioning expression upon his proud face。
〃Monsieur has done me the honor to〃 he commenced； and
then his eyes fell upon the girl。 With outstretched arms
he crossed the room to meet her。 〃My daughter！〃 he cried。
〃Allah is merciful！〃 and tears dimmed the martial eyes of
the old warrior。
When the story of her abduction and her final rescue had
been told to Kadour ben Saden he extended his hand to Tarzan。
〃All that is Kadour ben Saden's is thine； my friend； even
to his life；〃 he said very simply； but Tarzan knew that
those were no idle words。
It was decided that although three of them would have to
ride after practically no sleep； it would be best to make an
early start in the morning； and attempt to ride all the
way to Bou Saada in one day。 It would have been
comparatively easy for the men； but for the girl it
was sure to be a fatiguing journey。
She； however； was the most anxious to undertake it； for
it seemed to her that she could not quickly enough reach the
family and friends from whom she had been separated for
two years。
It seemed to Tarzan that he had not closed his eyes before
he was awakened； and in another hour the party was on its
way south toward Bou Saada。 For a few miles the road was
good； and they made rapid progress； but suddenly it became
only a waste of sand； into which the horses sank fetlock
deep at nearly every step。 In addition to Tarzan； Abdul；
the sheik； and his daughter were four of the wild plainsmen
of the sheik's tribe who had accompanied him upon the trip
to Sidi Aissa。 Thus； seven guns strong； they entertained little
fear of attack by day； and if all went well they should reach
Bou Saada before nightfall。
A brisk wind enveloped them in the blowing sand of the
desert； until Tarzan's lips were parched and cracked。 What
little he could see of the surrounding country was far from
alluringa vast expanse of rough country； rolling in little；
barren hillocks； and tufted here and there with clumps of
dreary shrub。 Far to the south rose the dim lines of the
Saharan Atlas range。 How different； thought Tarzan； from
the gorgeous Africa of his boyhood！
Abdul； always on the alert； looked backward quite as often
as he did ahead。 At the top of each h