Golah was only armed with a scimitar; but it was a weapon that, in his hands, was sure to fall with deadly effect. It was a weapon of great size and weight, having been made expressly for himself; and with this upraised, he silently but swiftly glided after the unconscious Arab.
Adding, the whole strength of his powerful arm to the weight of the weapon, the black sheik brought its sharp edge slantingly down upon the neck of the unsuspecting sentinel.
With a low moan that sounded in perfect harmony with the sighing of the waves, the Arab fell to the earth, leaving his musket in the huge hand his assassin had stretched forth to grasp it. Putting the gun to full cock, Golah walked on in the direction in which the sentry had been going. He intended next to encounter the man who was guarding the eastern side of the douar. Walking boldly on, he took no trouble to avoid the sound of his footsteps being heard, believing that he would be taken for the sentry he had just slain. After going about a hundred paces without seeing any one, he paused, and with his large fiercely gleaming eyes strove to penetrate the surrounding gloom. Still no one was to be seen, and he laid himself along the earth to listen for footfalls.
Nothing could be heard; but after glancing for some moments along the ground he saw a dark object outlined above the surface. Unable, from the distance, to form a correct idea of what it was, he cautiously advanced towards it, keeping on all-fours till he could see that the object was a human being, prostrate on the ground, and apparently listening like himself. Why should the man be listening? Not to note the approach of his companion, for that should be expected without suspicion, as his attitude would indicate. He might be asleep, reasoned Golah. If so, fortune seemed to favour him; and with this reflection he stealthily moved on towards the prostrate form.
Though the latter moved not, still Golah was not quite sure that the sentry was asleep. Again he paused, and for a moment fixed his eyes on the body with a piercing gaze. If the man was not sleeping, why should he allow an enemy to approach so near? Why lie so quietly without showing any sign or giving an alarm? If Golah could despatch this sentinel as he had done the other, without making any noise, he would, along with his two relatives (who were waiting the result of his adventure), afterwards steal into the douar, and all he had lost might be again recovered.
The chance was worth the risk, so thought Golah, and silently moved on.
As he drew nearer he saw that the man was lying on on his side with his face turned towards him, and partly concealed by one arm.
The black sheik could see no gun in his hands; and consequently there would be but little danger in an encounter with him, if such should chance to arise.
Golah grasped the heavy scimitar in his right-hand, evidently intending to despatch his victim, as he had done the other, with a single blow.
The head could be severed from the body at one stroke, and no alarm would be given to the slumbering camp.