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For any one of these, if he is
proved guilty, he will have to die."
The Arab's left hand was hidden beneath his burnous. Now he
withdrew it disclosing a large goatskin purse, bulging and heavy
with coins. He opened the mouth of the purse and let a handful
of the contents trickle into the palm of his right hand--all were
pieces of good French gold. From the size of the purse and its
bulging proportions Captain Jacot concluded that it must contain
a small fortune. Sheik Amor ben Khatour dropped the spilled
gold pieces one by one back into the purse. Jacot was eyeing him
narrowly. They were alone. The sergeant, having introduced the
visitor, had withdrawn to some little distance--his back was toward
them. Now the sheik, having returned all the gold pieces, held
the bulging purse outward upon his open palm toward Captain Jacot.
"Achmet ben Houdin, my sister's son, MIGHT escape tonight," he
said. "Eh?"
Captain Armand Jacot flushed to the roots of his close-cropped hair.
Then he went very white and took a half-step toward the Arab. His
fists were clenched.


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