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Show IX THAT was a long and weary journey by the light of the moon. At first Sir Claude kept in front, but presently he got off the track, and Achmed was obliged to ride up and go ahead to show the way. He passed Sir-Claude morosely, without looking at him, and took the lead. On and on they went, always towards the dark range of mountains that showed where the desert ended. Sir Claude kept his eyes fixed upon it. The mules went slowly. Poor beasts, they were really tired and needed a night's rest. Like most Englishmen, Sir Claude was solicitous for all animals that did him service. And more than once his conscience pricked him as he encouraged his mule with voice and hand. Achmed did not care. The mules were not his and no thought of an animal's suf~ fering pained his imagination. Presently he began to sing in a whining, plaintive voice. His sulki-ness was subsiding as his active greedy mind began to work, helped by the monotonous motion across the ~lain. The stranger, the rich Englishman, had offered him one hun-dred francs to do the very thing he was now doing. And he had refused them. But he had refused them because he had also refused to make . -' ... ; this moonlight flitting. Well, but/ '/ now he was making it. ~ . "Khali Targa! Khali Targa! G1ve me the scorpion that I may eat ! See I am kneeling at thy feet. I |