CHAPTER V.
THE SPY.
he Sultan being sufficiently recovered from his fatigue, was reclining in his half-open tent, when it occurred to him to examine the paper which had been taken from the Marabt. He opened and began reading it carelessly, but before he had finished, his face was livid, for it proved that treachery was at work among his own personal attendants.
"God is great!" he ejaculated, "God is my protection. A conspiracy! The address—Abdslem Ibn Hadj,—the slave! And the seal, Sheik Hamed of the Lion Tribes!" then raising his voice, "Who waits?"
"My lord's slave," answered Abd el Aziz, who was on guard, and coming forward.
"The spy that was taken this morning, let him be taken outside the camp and return to me with his head!—Go!" said the Sultan.
"On my head and eyes;" and Abd el Aziz receiving a token from the Sultan, went out immediately to obey his orders.
The guards whom he summoned, astonished and awed by the sudden command, mechanically obeyed, and in spite of his prayers and entreaties the Marabt was forthwith decapitated, and his head, still dripping with blood, carried by the lock of hair on his crown, and laid by Abd el Aziz in view of the Sultan, saying, "Behold the traitor's head! thus perish the enemies of the Khalifa!"