“I had accompanied two of the wives of the man who hath held me in hateful bondage on a portion of their journey towards Assiou, and in returning we halted to rest under the shadow of the Hall of the Great Death. There I discovered thee, and, in order to give thee succour, was compelled to resort to the expedient of placing thee within the secret chamber. Some time previously I had heard that thou wert journeying south.”
“Who told thee? What didst thou know of me?”
“I knew that thou, a Roumi, hadst undertaken to reach Agadez in order to perform a secret mission, and that thou hadst proved loyal and true to the woman who loved thee. For her sake as well as for thine I snatched thee from certain death, and if Allah giveth us His mercy and blessing, we both shall now regain our freedom.”
“Art thou aware of the name of the woman to whom I am betrothed?” I inquired, in amazement.
“She is—or was—called Zoraida, and was known to our people as the Daughter of the Sun.”
“Thy people? Then thou art of the tribe of the Ennitra?” I exclaimed.
“True,” she answered, with a smile. “I am the daughter of those who have so long and eagerly sought thy destruction.”
“But what of Zoraida? Tell me; is she still alive?” I asked anxiously.
“Alas! I am uncertain. Here in this my prison only strange and vague rumours have reached me. Once I heard that she had been murdered in Algiers, but soon afterwards that report brought by the caravans was denied, and since then much curious gossip regarding her hath been circulated. The last I heard was, that, disguised as a camel-driver, she had followed thee to Agadez.”
“To Agadez?” I cried. “How long ago did that astounding news reach thee?”