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A few minutes later Sheik Ferhan called to his guests, and they came out into the court, where they were joined shortly by the remaining members of the bishop’s party. Seating Constance on his right and her father on his left, the sheik sat cross-legged on the floor. A bowl of soured milk was placed before each of the guests, and the sheik's women passed around salvers piled high with golden dates. Constance drank a long draft of goat's milk. Sheik Ferhan did not partake, aside from taking a few dates, explaining that he had eaten his daily meal some hours before.

"But in my country we eat three times a day!" Constance exclaimed.

"Three times!" Sheik Ferhan echoed. "Then why do you not become fat and ugly, like the Ottoman women? But no, you are thin and graceful, like a fox. I think you eat very little at each sitting."

He looked well pleased with himself for his compliments. Constance dimpled, and Fenworth looked grave.

After the meal, Sheik Ferhan clapped his hands four times, and the Arabs who had captured the bishop's party came into the court. They bowed low, and then came over to the sheik, bowing once again. The tall, handsome Bedouin who had carried Constance was introduced to her as Zadd. He bowed low before her, and touched her hand with his fingers, pronouncing the name "Constance" very carefully. He was presented to each of the party, and then, bowing low again before the sheik, he and his companions departed.

"Zadd wants the lady to know his great sorrow at your discomfort," Sheik Ferhan explained. "We are all sorry to annoy you, but happy, very, very happy, to have you with us. Every house is open to you. Ask for what you wish, and it shall be yours. If you have coins about you, my people will be glad to have some. But you must offer them when you enter their houses. Then they are gifts. No Bedouin will take pay for hospitality, but they like coins as gifts. They are very proud, my Bedouins. Two centuries on the oasis have not made fellahs of us. But now you are very tired. You will want sleep. Tomorrow will be time to see my people and my good oasis. Peace to you!"

Bowing deeply, he withdrew. Smeyr conducted the crew of the yacht to their dwellings, and the bishop, Constance and Fenworth went to their rooms.

Constance lay wide-eyed on the woolen mattress in her room, thinking over the exciting events of the day. She had never met anyone quite so courtly as the old sheik, who had rescued her and her party from the hands of his tribesmen. She thought of the tales of Harun-al-Rashid, and drifted insensibly into slumber. Sheik Ferhan, Harun-al-Rashid and the handsome Zadd were inextricably mixed in her dreams.

Bishop Fergus, his mind relieved by the benevolent proteaion of the sheik, soon dropped to sleep, despite the soreness of his body after the long ride across the desert.

Fenworth, alone of all the party from the yacht, did not sleep. He had seen the look of admiration on Zadd's patrician face while crossing the sands, and although he was too much preoccupied with his own discomfort and danger to think much about it then, it troubled him now. But what the attitude of Sheik Ferhan might be troubled Fenworth even more. The young American had watched the sheik closely during the meal, and in his face he read shrewdness and crafty cunning. To Fenworth it was obvious chat Sheik Ferhan desired Constance. A look of annoyance had darkly wrinkled the sheik’s face when the bishop told him