"I have given this hawk, Achmet, till to-morrow night to bring Nahoum to me," he explained.
"And if he fails--a penalty?
He will lose his place ?" asked David, with cold humour.
"More than his place," Kaid rejoined, with a cruel smile.
"Then is his place mine, Effendina," rejoined David, with a look which could give Achmet no comfort.

"Thou will bring Nahoum--thou ?" asked Kaid, in amazement.
"I have brought him," answered David.

"Is it not my duty to know the will of the Effendina and to do it, when it is just and right ?" "Where is he--where does he wait ?" questioned Kaid eagerly.
"Within the Palace--here," replied David.

"He awaits his fate in thine own dwelling, Effendina." Kaid glowered upon Achmet.

"In the years which Time, the Scytheman, will cut from thy life, think, as thou fastest at Ramadan or feastest at Beiram, how Kaid filled thy plate when thou wast a beggar, and made thee from a dog of a fellah into a pasha.