"Only prayer in my own tongue, Bara Miyan. A prayer that thine and
mine may become _akhawat_"[1]
[Footnote 1: Friends bound by an oath to an offensive and defensive
alliance.]
"Deliver unto me Abd el Rahman, and let thine _imams_ (priests) work
stronger magic than mine," said the old Sheik with great deliberation,
"and I will accept thy gifts and we will say: '_Nahnu malihin_!' (We
have eaten salt together!) And I will make thee gifts greater than thy
gifts to me, O White Sheik. Then thou and thine can fly away to thine
own country, and bear witness that there be Arabs who do not love to
slay the Feringi, but count all men as brethren.
"But if thou wilt not deliver Abd el Rahman to me, or test thy magic
against my magic, then depart now, in peace, before the setting of the
sun. I have spoken!"
"Take him at his word, my Captain!" murmured Leclair. "We can get no
better terms. Even these are a miracle!"
"My opinion, exactly," replied the Master, still facing Bara-Miyan,
who had now stepped back a few paces and was flanked by two huge
Arabs, in robes hardly less chromatic, who had silently advanced.
"I accept," decided the Master. He turned, ordered Enemark and
L'Heureux to fetch out the Apostate, and then remained quietly
waiting.
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