"I was present when thou wert forced to bite the dust," she explained.

"I had journeyed unto Katsena, where I had lingered one moon, and was returning hither to Kano when my Tuareg guards, warned of thine approach, watched thee by stealth, and in the darkness fell upon thee at a moment when thou wert unprepared. On the rising of the sun I searched the spot, and found that thou alone still lived. Secretly thou wert attired in the haick belonging to one of my handmaidens, and by my orders conveyed hither in a _jakfi_ on one of mine own camels. Still dressed as a female slave thou wert able to pa.s.s the guards of the outer courts and of the harem, to rest and recover on mine own divan."

"Then to thee, O Azala, Princess of Sokoto, whose beauty is peerless, I owe my life," I answered, fervently. "Truly hast thou s.n.a.t.c.hed me back from the grave, even though I sought to a.s.sist in the sacking of this, the palace of thy father, and in the holding of thy people in bondage.

Tell me, why shouldst thou interest thyself in my well-being?"

Hesitating, apparently confused at my question, Azala moved uneasily, toying with the silken fringe of her broad girdle.

"Is it not written that we should bear no malice?" she answered, after a pause. "Al-Sijil registereth our deeds."

"Wisdom falleth from thy lips," I said, smiling. "But hadst thou no motive in bringing me into this thine apartment, even at the imminent risk of detection and disgrace?"

"I am not compelled to answer thy question," she replied, with a forced laugh. "Reason underlyeth most of our actions."

"And wilt thou not explain thy reason?"

"No. At present my lips must remain sealed," she answered calmly, her bejewelled breast heaving and falling in a long-drawn sigh.

"Peradventure thou mayest learn my motive some day; then will thine eyes open in astonishment, for thou wilt gain knowledge of things undreamed of and behold marvels amazing."

"Thou speakest in enigmas. When may these secrets be revealed unto me?

Of what character are they?"

"Seek not to unloosen my tongue's strings, O mine enemy--"

"Nay, not enemy, friend, grateful and ever devoted," I interrupted.

"Then, if thou art my friend seek not to discover mine innermost thoughts," she said, earnestly. "As the wicked are in Sajin, beneath the seventh heaven, where dwelleth Eblis and his host, so a.s.suredly will those who seek to discover the hidden marvels without mine aid or sanction taste of the bitter fruit of Al-Zakk.u.m."

"But if thou givest unto me a pledge that thou wilt render explanation, I will be content," I said.

"Not only will I, when the time is ripe, explain the strange secret unto thee, but, likewise, shall I seek thine a.s.sistance in elucidating a strange and incomprehensible mystery."

"I am thine to command," I answered gallantly, taking her slim, white hand in mine. "When thou desireth me to serve thee, O Azala, thou wilt find me ever ready, for to thee I owe my life; my future is in thine hands."

"To seek the key of the hidden mystery, to vanquish the angel Malec who hath charge of the gates of h.e.l.l, will require a stout heart and lion's courage," she said slowly, fixing her clear, wonderful eyes upon mine, and allowing her soft bejewelled hand to linger for a second within my grasp.

"When the day dawneth thou wilt not find me wanting in defiance of danger, for, of a verity, I fear nothing with the beauteous daughter of the Sultan 'Othman as my pole-star."

For a second a blush suffused her pale cheeks.

"As thou trusteth me, so also will I trust thee," she said, in deep earnestness. "Even though my position is exalted as Princess of Sokoto; even though I am surrounded by all that is beautiful, with many slaves to do my bidding, yet unhappiness eateth like a canker-worm into my heart."

"Wherefore art thou unhappy?" I asked, sympathetically.

"Ah! the reason none may know," she sighed. "Until I call upon thee to render thine aid in seeking to discover things that are forbidden, thou must necessarily remain in the outer darkness of ignorance. Here, in the palace of my father, thou must remain in hiding until the time for action cometh. Then will I show thee that which will fascinate and astound thee."

"Thy words of mystery arouse curiosity within me," I said. "Canst thou not reveal to me anything now?"

"Nothing. Save to tell thee that thou canst, if thou wilt, shield me from a fate worse than death. A disaster, horrible and complete, threateneth to overwhelm me, and thou alone canst prevent it."

"How?"

"By patience, silence, and pa.s.sive obedience to my commands."

"I am thine," I said, as, entranced by her marvellous grace and beauty, my arm slowly encircled her slim waist, begirt with dull gold and flashing jewels. I strove to draw her to me, but without any violence of movement, and with the most perfect dignity, she disengaged herself from my embrace. Yet I held her to me and breathed into her ear words of devotion. Then, as her beautiful head at last turned slowly toward me, and her eyes, looking into mine, spoke mutely of reciprocated affection, our lips met in a hot, pa.s.sionate caress.

I was trembling upon the pinnacle of Al-Araf, that part.i.tion that divides pleasure from misery, love from hatred, h.e.l.l from paradise. She was the proud and handsome daughter of the Sultan 'Othman, the woman, the fame of whose exquisite beauty had long ago reached us even in far-off Omdurman; I, a mere Dervish, without home or property, one of a band paid by the all-powerful Khalifa to plunder, murder and destroy.

What words of tenderness I uttered I scarcely remember. The sensuous fragrance, rising from the perfuming-pan, seemed to induce a sweet, dreamy half-consciousness, but for the first time I experienced the pa.s.sion of love. I loved her with all the strength of my being, and the only words that impressed themselves upon me in those moments of mad infatuation were those uttered by the woman I adored,--

"Yea, O Zafar, I will place my trust in thee." Resting in my embrace, her bright eyes betrayed her perfect happiness, and as I softly stroked her silky hair and implanted a kiss upon her white, sequin-covered brow she clung to me with her long bare arms clasped tightly around my neck in an ecstasy of joy.

"Never will I forsake thee," I answered, fondly. "With the faithfulness and obedience of a slave will I carry out thy commands, for thou art my queen and I thy devoted bondman."

Tears dimmed her bright, clear eyes; tears of joy she vainly strove to suppress.

"Truly to-day is the dawn of my life's happiness," she said, in a low tone, full of emotion. "To-day Allah hath sent me a friend."

"And, on my part, I pledge myself unto thee with unswerving devotion," I exclaimed, fervently. "In veiled words hast thou spoken of certain solemn secrets. When thou explainest to me my task of elucidation, a.s.suredly wilt thou find me ready and eager to undertake it. In thine hands thou holdest my future, for life or death."

"Upon those who seek to come between us may the wrath of the One Granter of Requests fall like an avenging fire; may they find no patron nor defender, nor may they rest beneath the shadow of the lote-tree," she said. "It is written in the Book of Everlasting Will that Allah, who knoweth all things, joineth man and woman with his bounteous blessing.

Therefore may the rose-grove of thy prosperity and good fortune be increased daily in freshness and magnificence, and in what difficulty thou mayest be placed, or into what evil thou mayest peradventure, fall, bear in thy mind my declaration of love, and remember always that, even though deserts of great s.p.a.ce and rapid waters may separate us, I am thine and thou art mine alone. I trust to thee to break asunder the invisible bonds that fetter me unto misery."

"But surely we shall not be parted," I exclaimed, the mere suggestion being intolerable.

"Neither sultans nor their kin are capable of ruling events," she said.

"Of what the future may have in store none knoweth but the sorceresses and the wise women, who, alas! holdeth their knowledge to themselves."

"True, O Azala, my enchantress. In like manner wilt thou remember always, if we part, that I shall be striving to return unto thee; that the one object of my life henceforward is to break asunder the mysterious fetters of thine unhappiness."

Our hands clasped. She looked straight into my eyes. Hers was no dreamy nature. With her, to resolve was but a preliminary of to execute. No physiognomist would need to have been told that this beautiful woman, so quick in intelligence, so kind in manner, so buoyant and joyous in disposition, was at the same time, in force of character and determination, as firm as adamant.

"And thou wilt not fail to render me a.s.sistance in the hour of my need?"

she exclaimed.

"May Allah bear witness that I am prepared to strive towards the elucidation of thy mystery while I have breath."

Pressing my hand with lingering tenderness, she said,--

"Thy words give peace unto me, O Zafar. Henceforth shall I rest in the knowledge that the man who is my friend is prepared to risk his life on my behalf."

"Yea," I answered; adding, "of a verity this meeting between enemies hath been a strange one. Hast thou not warned thy father of the approach of the hosts of the Khalifa?"

"Even on the same night as thine encampment was destroyed warning was conveyed unto him, with the result that our troops have been sent forward into the desert with the object of checking the advance of thy tribesmen."

"They are not my clansmen," I answered, quickly. "I am an Arab, a native of the Aures, the mountains far north beyond the Great Desert."

"Then thou art not a Dervish?" she exclaimed, gladly.