When the Yamanite rode in with a bit of news, he bargained for it shrewdly, being hungry himself."Six riding camels they have, and twenty good horses," he said. And he watched the gray eyes of the man sitting above him in a chair. But the eyes told him nothing. "Aye, tents in the baggage, and women slaves," he added, for good measure."It is more likely," put in Khalil from across the table, "that thou art lying.""Nay, I saw them. I counted them." The lean Arab from Yaman bent closer to the chair of the lord of the castle and whispered, "Yah khawand, it is truly an escort. It is not a raiding party. Perhaps they are escorting the family of an emir of the Hauran. That would he good plunder for thee, 0 my master.""Where," asked Khalil again, "is this notable caravan?""In the valley-" began the Arab, and remembered to guard his secret. He thrust thin arms from his rags. "Is it not enough that I have sworn upon the Koran? Now-listen, ye Christian folk-I swear by the oath of the divorce. If this thing that I say be not true, may my wives be divorced."Khalil laughed, but the man in the chair stirred his long length."How many men?" he asked briefly.Swiftly the Arab counted upon his fingers."More than thirty, 0 my lord, and less than forty, good and bad.
