endanger the safety of your journey. At the next village I shall

remain and question these gentlemen, while you ride on. There is

no necessity for my being at Bou Saada tonight, and less still why

you should not ride in peace."

"If you stop we shall stop," said Kadour ben Saden. "Until you

are safe with your friends, or the enemy has left your trail, we

shall remain with you. There is nothing more to say."

Tarzan nodded his head. He was a man of few words, and possibly

it was for this reason as much as any that Kadour ben Saden had

taken to him, for if there be one thing that an Arab despises it

is a talkative man.

All the balance of the day Abdul caught glimpses of the horsemen

in their rear. They remained always at about the same distance.

During the occasional halts for rest, and at the longer halt at

noon, they approached no closer.

"They are waiting for darkness," said Kadour ben Saden.

And darkness came before they reached Bou Saada. The last glimpse

that Abdul had of the grim, white-robed figures that trailed them,

just before dusk made it impossible to distinguish them, had made

it apparent that they were rapidly closing up the distance that

intervened between them and their intended quarry. He whispered

this fact to Tarzan, for he did not wish to alarm the girl. The

ape-man drew back beside him.

"You will ride ahead with the others, Abdul," said Tarzan. "This

is my quarrel. I shall wait at the next convenient spot, and

interview these fellows."

"Then Abdul shall wait at thy side," replied the young Arab, nor

would any threats or commands move him from his decision.

"Very well, then," replied Tarzan. "Here is as good a place as we

could wish. Here are rocks at the top of this hillock. We shall

remain hidden here and give an account of ourselves to these

gentlemen when they appear."

They drew in their horses and dismounted. The others riding ahead

were already out of sight in the darkness. Beyond them shone the

lights of Bou Saada. Tarzan removed his rifle from its boot and