The King's Talisman — page 53: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

44 THE KINGS TALISMAN. nature of the opposition they will have to encounter. But I wish to ask you the nature of my other attendants. I am well aware of the character of the Nubians, and I think I can read their mission; but wish to know if they are alone —if, incase of trouble, they would receive any assistance from the other attendants?” «“There are only twenty of us, besides the Nubians,” re- turned Molech, ‘‘and we all have directions to obey you in _ every particular; and besides, I assure you, that those ten men have no love for the rest of us. They are Modad’s par- ticular favorites, and toward the other slaves they exercise a haughty superiority. But,” continued the Egyptian, as he cast a furtive glance back of him, ‘‘ you must not think of escape or violence till we arrive at Khaibar, for though the Nubians might receive no assistance from the rest, yet none would dare to oppose them.” A peculiar look rested upon the young man’s countenance as the Egyptian delivered this caution, but he made no an- swer. He seemed to have gained the intelligence which he sought, and with a slight inclination of the head he motioned Molech back into the train. The sun had been two hours past the meridian, and the train had just emerged from a southward narrow pass between two high cliffs, when Noureddin’s eyes fell upon a party of horsemen about a mileahead of him. As near as he could judge there were nearly twenty of them, part of whom were mounted, while the remainder were on foot holding their horses by the bridle. They had no luggage of any description, and as he brought them nearer to view, he had no hesitation in setting them down as a detach ment of Bedouins who roamed the desert and mountain tracks in quest of plunder; and as he came nearer still his belief was confirmed, for the dismounted Bedouins immediately sprang into their saddles, and he could easily see that they were holding a hurried consultation, Gcomicboo SS co