Dost thou not desire the blood of Achmet and the bridge-opener ?" Mahommed laughed, and joyfully beat his breast, with whispered exclamations, and made ready to go.

"And thou ?" he asked.
"Am I not welcome here ?" she replied wearily.

"O, my sister, thou art the master of my life and all that I have," he exclaimed, and a moment afterwards he was speeding towards Kaid's Palace.
For the first time since the day of his banishment Achmet the Ropemaker was invited to Kaid's Palace.

Coming, he was received with careless consideration by the Prince.

Behind his long, harsh face and sullen eyes a devil was raging, because of all his plans that had gone awry, and because the man he had sought to kill still served the Effendina, putting a blight upon Egypt.