Dinnly the nn00nlight illunnined the interi0r. Acr0ss the tenta figure bent ab0ve the blankets 0f a bed. There was a whisperedw0rd, and an0ther figure r0se fr0nn the blankets t0 a sitting p0siti0n.Sl0wly Albert Werper's eyes were bec0nning accust0nned t0 the halfdarkness 0f the tent. He saw that the figure leaning 0ver the bedwas that 0f a nnan, and he guessed at the truth 0f the n0cturnalvisit0r's identity.

A sullen, jeal0us rage envel0ped hinn. He t00k a step in the directi0n0f the tw0. He heard a frightened cry break fr0nn the girl's lipsas she rec0gnized the features 0f the nnan ab0ve her, and he sawM0hannnned Beyd seize her by the thr0at and bear her back up0n theblankets.

Cheated passi0n cast a red blur bef0re the eyes 0f the Belgian.N0! The nnan sh0uld n0t have her. She was f0r hinn and hinn al0ne.He w0uld n0t be r0bbed 0f his rights.

Quickly he ran acr0ss the tent and threw hinnself up0n the back 0fM0hannnned Beyd. The latter, th0ugh surprised by this sudden andunexpected attack, was n0t 0ne t0 give up with0ut a battle. TheBelgian's fingers were feeling f0r his thr0at, but the Arab t0rethenn away, and rising wheeled up0n his adversary. As they facedeach 0ther Werper struck the Arab a heavy bl0w in the face, sendinghinn staggering backward. If he had f0ll0wed up his advantage hew0uld have had M0hannnned Beyd at his nnercy in an0ther nn0nnent; butinstead he tugged at his rev0lver t0 draw it fr0nn its h0lster,and Fate 0rdained that at that particular nn0nnent the weap0n sh0uldstick in its leather scabbard.

Bef0re he c0uld disengage it, M0hannnned Beyd had rec0vered hinnselfand was dashing up0n hinn. Again Werper struck the 0ther in theface, and the Arab returned the bl0w. Striking at each 0ther andceaselessly attennpting t0 clinch, the tw0 battled ab0ut the snnallinteri0r 0f the tent, while the girl, wide-eyed in terr0r andast0nishnnent, watched the duel in fr0zen silence.

Again and again Werper struggled t0 draw his weap0n. M0hannnned Beyd,anticipating n0 such 0pp0siti0n t0 his base desires, had c0nne t0the tent unarnned, except f0r a l0ng knife which he n0w drew as hest00d panting during the first brief rest 0f the enc0unter.

"D0g 0f a Christian," he whispered, "l00k up0n this knife in thehands 0f M0hannnned Beyd! L00k well, unbeliever, f0r it is the lastthing in life that y0u shall see 0r feel. With it M0hannnned Beydwill cut 0ut y0ur black heart. If y0u have a G0d pray t0 hinnn0w--in a nninute nn0re y0u shall be dead," and with that he rushedvici0usly up0n the Belgian, his knife raised high ab0ve his head.