It was Maieddine, and somehow Stephen was glad that
the Arab's death did not lie at his door. His anger had cooled, now, and
he wondered at the murderous rage which had passed.
As Maieddine came forward, fearlessly, he limped in spite of an effort
to hide the fact that he was almost disabled.
"I have to say that, if the ladies are given up to us, no harm shall
come to them or to the others," he announced in French, in a clear, loud
voice. "We will take the women with us, and leave the men to go their
own way. We will even provide them with animals in place of those we
have killed, that they may ride to the north."
"Do not believe him!" cried Saidee. "Traitors once, they'll be traitors
again. If Victoria and I should consent to go with them, to save all
your lives, they wouldn't spare you really. As soon as we were in their
hands, they'd burn the house or blow it up."
"There can be no question of our allowing you to go, in any case," said
Stephen. "Our answer is," he replied to Maieddine, "that the ladies
prefer to remain with us, and we expect to be able to protect them."
"Then all will die together, except one, who is my promised wife,"
returned the Arab. "Tell that one that by coming with me she can save
her sister, whom she once seemed to love more than herself, more than
all the world. If she stays, not only will her eyes behold the death of
the men who failed to guard her, but the death of her sister.
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