"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 cafe--him 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.