Upon a bench sat two burly Baluchi, earnestly intent upon a game of dice. At the far end of the room, half hidden by the dim shadows, lay a dark group of slumbering guardsmen.
“Ah-yah!” called one of the dicers, as he noted the presence of a visitor; “what is wanted at this hour? None can pass the gate till daybreak.” And he calmly continued to toss the cubes.
Agahr walked up to him and threw back the folds of his cloak.
“The vizier!” cried both men, in a breath, and rose to their feet, saluting.
“Yes. Open the gate for me, Beni-Bouraz. I am to meet a friend here tonight.”
“But, master—”
“Silence! Do as I bid you, Captain. Open the gate.”
The officer bowed low. Then he walked to the end of the room and kicked two of his men.
“Get up, you dogs. His Excellency the Vizier commands the gate to be opened.”
They got upon their feet, growling at the summons, and shuffled over to the windlass. Beni-Bouraz released the bar, and the men began winding up the huge chain that raised the gate.