"Thy words give peace unto me, O Zafar. Henceforth shall I rest in the
knowledge that the man who is my friend is prepared to risk his life on
my behalf."
"Yea," I answered; adding, "of a verity this meeting between enemies
hath been a strange one. Hast thou not warned thy father of the
approach of the hosts of the Khalifa?"
"Even on the same night as thine encampment was destroyed warning was
conveyed unto him, with the result that our troops have been sent
forward into the desert with the object of checking the advance of thy
tribesmen."
"They are not my clansmen," I answered, quickly. "I am an Arab, a
native of the Aures, the mountains far north beyond the Great Desert."
"Then thou art not a Dervish?" she exclaimed, gladly.
"No," I answered, and at the same moment remembering that the Khalifa's
troops numbered many thousands, and that it was scarcely likely that
they would be turned aside in their onward march by a few squadrons of
the Sultan of Sokoto, I asked,--
"Have the horsemen of the Black Standard been routed?"
"I know not. Yesterday I overheard the messengers delivering their
report to the Sultan in the Hall of Audience," she replied.
"But if they are still advancing! Think what terrible fate awaiteth
thee if the soldiers of the Khalifa loot this thy beautiful palace, and
spread death and desolation through thy city with fire and sword!"
"Arrangements have already been made for my secret escape. In case of
danger I shall assume thy garments, arms and shield, which I have
preserved, and pass as a Dervish."
"Excellent," I said, laughing at her ingenuity. "But let us hope that
my comrades will never gain these walls. If they do, it will, alas! be
an evil day for Kano."
"The detection and slaughter of thy scouts placed our army upon its
guard," she said. "Already the defences of our city have been
strengthened, and every man is under arms. If the Dervishes attack us,
of a verity will they meet with an opposition long and strenuous, for by
our fighting men the walls of Kano are believed to be impregnable.
See!" she added, drawing aside a portion of the silken hangings close to
her, and disclosing a small window covered with a quaintly-worked wooden
lattice. "Yonder our men are watching. Our principal city gate, the
Kofa-n-Dakaina, is strongly guarded by night and day."