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Seize him, and let him see what it means to strike one of the faithful." Belbeis raised his hand. "Peace," said he, "you brought it on yourself. You would have murdered the old man while we made him prisoner. You may be glad that the Christian stayed your hand, or our lives would have paid the forfeit." "I care not!" cried Abdu, foaming with rage. "You shall obey me! I am your officer!
Therefore, what we have done will bring us in favour with our chief, and Abdu will be punished probably hanged," he added in a loud tone so that the prisoner could hear. "Oh, I see," replied Helmar. "Then you will take him where you take me, and hand him over as a prisoner too, for attempting to murder me against Arabi's wish. That is decidedly smart. Do you hear, Abdu?"
Abdu, with villainous intent, made known along the road the fact that his prisoner was a spy, with the result that stones were frequently thrown, and in many instances George narrowly missed being struck; it was with a sigh of relief that he passed through the crazy old gateway of the prison-yard.
The train was bumping terrifically, the metals over which it was running being very uneven. For a few moments Abdu watched the motion of a piece of iron chain, hanging through a ring in the side of the car, then, having evolved some plan, he turned to his prisoner with a leer on his face.
The place was constructed largely of wood, and, thinking of Hakesh's words, George felt sure that a place so constructed was more than likely to be decidedly unclean. He was not given much time to view his surroundings, for Abdu had him hustled into the building with as little delay as possible. Two of the soldiers seized him by the shoulders and pushed him in with scant ceremony.
The filmy white had been lifted in the process of sewing, and a little exquisitely bound white book was disclosed beneath it. "May I look?" "Yes, do." Dion took the book up, and read the title, "The Kasidah of Haji Abdu El-Yezdi." "I never heard of this. Where did you get it?" "Guy Daventry left it here by mistake yesterday. I must give it to him to-night."
Quickly drawing back from the long, gleaming knife that flashed before their eyes, George and his guide stood for a second irresolute. The stranger at once spoke. "Ha! you thought to escape, did you? You forgot that Abdu was still in Cairo. No, you don't, my friend; we will have you bowstrung at daylight." Helmar made a dart at the little man.
The moment the doors were closed his hands and feet were securely bound. "What is this for?" asked George, as in obedience to the little wretch's orders he submitted to the indignity. "In order that you cannot play any more tricks upon us," replied Abdu in French. "I haven't forgotten what you did on the way to Damanhour we have not that fool Belbeis with us now heh!"
"You see this," he said, tapping the place where Helmar had struck him in the face; "Abdu hasn't forgotten, but he is kind and forgives easily. You are a prisoner, and must be made comfortable." As he said this he sprang up, and going over to where the chain was hanging, took it from its place, and coiling it up into a knot, returned to George's side.
The chain was made of large iron links, with several sharp, square swivels in it, and these Abdu so placed that they projected from the rest. Having arranged it to his fancy, he seized his prisoner's hair, and raising his head by it, placed the bunch of chain beneath it, and then, with brutal force, pushed him back on to the sharp, rusty iron.
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