The horse began to play with the pendant reins and to shift his loosened bit.

“Go in,” said the commandant, and the spahi opened the door.  “You next,” and Ali followed.  The commandant brought up the rear.

They entered at once not a hall but a room.  So all Eastern houses are ordered.  A lamp was burning, the walls were hung with maps of France and of North Africa, a few shelves held a few books and many tin cases labelled “Forage,” “Hospital,” “Police.”  Behind a desk sat a little man, dressed in black, who was dealing cards to himself in a game of solitaire.  He rose and bowed when the commandant entered, and then he went on with his game.

“Stand there,” said the commandant, pointing to a corner, “and put your hands over your head.”

Ali obeyed.

“Search him,” said the commandant.

The spahi began at Ali’s hair and ended with his sandals.

“He has nothing,” he reported.

“Now give me the letter,” said the commandant.

Ali twisted himself, fumbled at his waist, and drew out a knife.  He placed it on the desk, smiling.

“Do not blame the corporal for overlooking this,” he said; “I am so thin from the journey that he took it for one of my ribs.”

“I will trust you,” said the commandant, and he took the letter.

The little man in black kept dealing solitaire.

The commandant read the letter to himself and laughed, and then he read it aloud: 

“To Monsieur the COUNT D’APREMONT, Commandant at Biskra.

“MONSIEUR:  Since last I saw you strange things have happened.  I have turned Christian, and I have married.  I wonder at which of these statements you will laugh most.

“May I bring my wife to your house?  She will be the only Christian woman in Biskra.  Say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the bearer.  I am halted a mile outside of the town, awaiting your answer.

“Mirza, the mother of the Almees, has a certain claim upon my wife; how valid I do not know.  I need counsel, but first of all I need shelter.  May I come?_

“ABDULLAH.”

“Of course he may come,” said the commandant; “what is to prevent?”

“The law, perhaps,” said the little man in black, shuffling the cards.

The commandant turned quickly.  “Why the law, Monsieur the Chancellor?” he asked.

“Because,” answered the little man, still shuffling the cards, “he says that Mirza has a certain claim upon his wife, how valid he does not know; and he needs counsel and he needs shelter.  When a man writes like this, he also needs a lawyer;” and he commenced a new deal.

The commandant stood a moment, thinking.  Then he raised his head with a jerk, and said to Ali:  “Tell your master that I say ‘yes.’”

Ali made salaam and glided from the room.

“He has left his knife,” said the lawyer.

The commandant turned to the spahi.  “Corporal,” he said, “go to the citadel and bring back twelve men.  Place six of them at the entrance of the square, and six of them before my house.  When Abdullah’s caravan has entered the square, have the further six close in behind.  You may take your time.  It will be an hour before you are needed.”