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Show the old Frenchwoman's influence was removed, he felt less suspicious. It was she who had alarmed him by her diatribes against the Arabs. Perhaps she was a silly old woman, an alarmist, even a liar. But then Achmed had lied about this Benchaalal. "Monsieur promised me-" It was Achmed's voice with its most insinuating intonation. "Eh?" "Monsieur promised me a hundred francs if I protected him through the night to El-Akbara." " Protected!" Sir Claude laughed. "Showed me the way, you mean." "As monsieur chooses. Monsieur will keep his word?" "Well, of all the cheek!" Sir Claude had dropped into English. '' Monsieur says 'of course.' He is All the English keep their They are a great nation." n6 " I never promised you a hundred francs, but-" ''Yes, monsieur?'' "No, I can't bribe the feller!" Sir Claude thought. But then again came to him the fierce desire to know ~ whether Achmed and this Spahi, this 1 Benchaalal, had plotted together to - get him out of the way. "Two hundred francs would be nothing to me if I got hold of a devoted fellow, of a fellow who'd never tell me a lie or play me a dirty trick," he said, almost against his will. Achmed's eye brightened. The · l\\1 f flame of avarice shot up in it. But r~ • he was subtle, and only replied care, Plflessly: ~ "The good master makes the good servant.'' "And Benchaalal ? Is he a good master?" asked Sir Claude. ., "Monsieur, Benchaalal is generous to those who serve him-they say." "' |