"May his blessing be with you, and increase your store: better that we be not seen together. Peace."
"And to you peace," echoed Abdslem, as he closed the door after him, "for to-night--but to-morrow!--half a quintal of iron on _your_ limbs shall partly avenge me for my sufferings."
He thought the next day would never pass, at length the evening wore on, and Abdslem having procured a dozen armed men from the Kaïd of the town, placed them in ambush close to the place of meeting; and anxiously awaited the arrival of Ali, who did not appear until it was quite dusk.
"This way," whispered Abdslem, drawing him into the date-grove. "Come more within the shade."
The feathery boughs above their heads sighed dismally in the night breeze, and one large columnar tree lay prostrate on the earth.
"It is here," said Ali, producing the bag, the next minute he was startled by a movement amongst the bushes behind him, and, looking round, saw figures rising up in the dim light from their shelter.
"This for your treachery!" said he, dropping the bag, and making a blow at Abdslem with his dagger; but the other was on his guard, and avoided it by springing back, and Ali unfortunately stumbled over the fallen tree: the soldiers rushed upon him, and he was overpowered by numbers, disarmed and bound, whilst the traitor stood looking on with folded arms, congratulating himself on his success.
"Inshallah! you shall live to repent of this night's work," said Ali, "if it please God."
"Your days will not be long enough to see it," replied Abdslem, sneeringly.
"You will not be the first that Ali el Bezz has lived to be revenged on."
"What!" said Abdslem, "have I been so fortunate as to capture that notorious robber Ali el Bezz? God be praised."
"The day may not be so propitious to you as you suppose," said Ali: "'tis your turn to-day--but to-morrow--beware the 'Falcon's Swoop.'"
And Abdslem quailed before his prisoner, although bound and in his power; his triumph was also embittered by the dread of retribution, which, if Ali escaped, would inevitably fall on him, and even if he did not, would sooner or later overtake him at the hands of the Arab's family. Taking up the bag of money he accompanied the soldiers to the prison, and, after seeing Ali secured, returned to his own house intending to make his report to the Sultan in the morning.