“Then give me back my pistol!”

“No.  I need it.  I lent mine this evening to another man, who has not yet returned it.  That was a piece of wood with which I held you up just now.  You must get yourself another.”

“They are hard to come by in Jerusalem.  Give me mine back.”

“No.  I shall keep it to protect myself against you.”

“Why?  You have no need to fear me if we work together.”

“Because I intend to tell you what I know; and I may find it convenient to shoot you if you betray the information.”

“Oh!  Well, tell away.”

“I have been cleverer than you,” Grim announced blandly.  “I knew who had given the order to the Sikh to steal that letter from you, and I was concealed in his house when the letter was brought to him.  I heard the conference that followed, so I know what is going to be done about it.”

“Oh!  That was very smart.  Well, tell me.”

“Three men are going to take the letter to Damascus, but I don’t know which of them will have it on his person.  One is an Arab.  One is an American.  The third is that same Sikh who took the letter from you.  They will take the train from Ludd, and I have engaged myself as servant to the American.”

“Now that was extremely clever of, you!” said Yussuf Dakmar.

“Yes,” Grim agreed.  “But perhaps it will be as well to have an accomplice after all, and you will do as well as any.  If I steal the letter they may accuse me; but if I can pass it to you, then I can submit to a search and oblige them to apologize.”

“True!  True!  That will be excellent.”

“So you had better take the morning train for Damascus,” Grim continued.  “But understand:  If you bring others with you I shall suspect you of intending to play a trick on me.  In that event I shall shoot you with your own pistol, and take my chance of escaping afterward.  In fact, you are a dead man, Yussuf Dakmar, the minute I suspect you of playing me false.”

“The same to you likewise!” Yussuf Dakmar answered fervently.

“Then we understand each other,” said Grim.  “The best thing you can do between now and train-time is to see the French agent again.”

“What good will that do?  He is irritable—­nervous; he will only ask a thousand questions.”

“Then your visit will do all the more good.  You can calm him.  We don’t want a horde of fools interfering with us on the journey.  We want to work quietly, and to share the reward between us.  Therefore, you should tell him that you are confident of getting the letter if he will only leave the business to you alone.  Give him every assurance, and explain to him that interference may mean failure.  Now, I have done much the greater part so far; let this be your share to balance the account between us; you go to Sidi Said, the French agent, and make sure that he doesn’t hinder us by trying to help.”