Nay! Are you--Speak! Who are you ?" [* This is strange!] "Does your wife wander abroad while you herd cattle ?" Grim asked him.
"Allah forbid! But--" "Is my honor likely less than yours ?" "Then you are Ali Higg ?" "Who else ?" "And these ?" "My servants." "Your honor travels abroad with a scant escort!" "Let us see, then, whether it is not enough! A tale was told me of a black-faced liar on a Bishareen dromedary who fled hither from El-Kalil last night to persuade the dogs of this place to bark in some hunt of his.

There was mention made of a woman.

My men pursued him along the road, but fear gave him wings.

Hand him over!" "Allah! He is my guest." "Or let us see whether I cannot fire one shot and summon enough men to eat this place!" "That is loud talk.

They tell me you travel with but twenty." "Try me!" You didn't have to be much of a thought-reader to know what was passing in that sheikh's mind.