Syria from the saddle . the matter. If the girl, after reaching this neutralground, does not wish to marry her abductor, she is sentback home escorted by the Sheiks servants. If, how-ever, she does wish to go on with the affair the coupleare married, and a delegation is sent to the brides fatherto reconcile him to the match. If the Sheik who sendsthe delegation is powerful and rich, the plan usually suc-ceeds. Otherwise, a war ensues between the two any case, as soon as the girls elopement is discoveredher tribe attacks that of her lover, and the powers of thearbitrating Sheik are on
Syria from the saddle . the matter. If the girl, after reaching this neutralground, does not wish to marry her abductor, she is sentback home escorted by the Sheiks servants. If, how-ever, she does wish to go on with the affair the coupleare married, and a delegation is sent to the brides fatherto reconcile him to the match. If the Sheik who sendsthe delegation is powerful and rich, the plan usually suc-ceeds. Otherwise, a war ensues between the two any case, as soon as the girls elopement is discoveredher tribe attacks that of her lover, and the powers of thearbitrating Sheik are once more called into play. I have given here a bald and incomplete account ofthe Bedouin ; should I go into the subject with anythoroughness I should have space for little else. I havemerely tried to give a faint idea of the habits and cus-toms of a people who interest me, and who have stoodstill, unhurried by the rush of civilization, since thedays of Ishmael. CHAPTER XIV. A MIDNIGHT VISITOR — IN THE TENTS OF FINISHED Davids essay at tenoclock, and, crossing through puddlesof water to my own tent, was soonasleep. About two oclock in the morning Iheard a slight noise, and, as I openedmy eyes, I thought I saw a faint gleamof light for a moment at one end ofthe dark tent, as though the curtainhad been lifted. The light lasted onlythe fraction of a second, but thoughdarkness and quiet followed, I wassure something or someone had raisedthe tent-curtain. So I went out to explore. As I leftthe tent I stepped above my ankles in the brook, andthis incident disgusted me with myself for leaving adry tent on such an errand, so I was less watchful thanI should otherwise have been. The camp-fire was out,the two muleteers David had set as guards in default ofvillage watchmen, had crawled into the kitchen-tent andgone to sleep, and there was no sign of life to be walked around the camp and looked blindly into thethicket, but as it was raining hard, and since in thedarkness I
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