The Strong Arm | Page 2

each encounter they came back
with lessened ranks and a more chastened spirit than when they had set
forth. When at last, another counsel of war was held, the young men
kept silence and waited for the smiling Emir to speak.
"If you are satisfied that there are other things to think of in war than
the giving and taking of blows I am prepared to meet this German, not
on his own terms but on my own. Perhaps, however, you wish to try
conclusions with him again?"
The deep silence which followed this inquiry seemed to indicate that no
such desire animated the Emir's listeners, and the old man smiled
benignly upon his audience and went on.
"There must be no more disputing of my authority, either expressed or
by implication. I am now prepared to go forth against him taking with
me forty lancers."
Instantly there was a protest against this; the number was inadequate,
they said.
"In his fortieth year our Prophet came to a momentous decision,"
continued the Emir, unheeding the interruption, "and I take a spear with
me for every year of the Prophet's life, trusting that Allah will add to
our number, at the prophet's intervention, should such an augmentation
prove necessary. Get together then the forty oldest men under my
command. Let them cumber themselves with nothing in the way of
offence except one tall spear each, and see that every man is provided
with water and dates for twenty days' sustenance of horse and man in
the desert."
The Emir smiled as he placed special emphasis on the word "oldest,"
and the young men departed abashed to obey his orders.
Next morning Count Herbert von Schonburg saw near his camp by the
water-holes a small group of horsemen standing motionless in the
desert, their lances erect, butt downward, resting on the sand, the little
company looking like an oasis of leafless poplars. The Count was

instantly astride his Arab charger, at the head of his men, ready to meet
whatever came, but on this occasion the enemy made no effort to bring
on a battle, but remained silent and stationary, differing greatly from
the hordes that had preceded it.
"Well," cried the impatient Count, "if Mahomet will not come to the
mountain, the mountain for once will oblige him."
He gave the word to charge, and put spurs to his horse, causing instant
animation in the band of Saracens, who fled before him as rapidly as
the Germans advanced. It is needless to dwell on the project of the
Emir, who simply followed the example of the desert mirages he had so
often witnessed in wonder. Never did the Germans come within touch
of their foes, always visible, but not to be overtaken. When at last
Count Herbert was convinced that his horses were no match for the
fleet steeds of his opponents he discovered that he and his band were
hopelessly lost in the arid and pathless desert, the spears of the
seemingly phantom host ever quivering before him in the tremulous
heated air against the cloudless horizon. Now all his energies were bent
toward finding the way that led to the camp by the water-holes, but
sense of locality seemed to have left him, and the ghostly company
which hung so persistently on his flanks gave no indication of direction,
but merely followed as before they had fled. One by one the Count's
soldiers succumbed, and when at last the forty spears hedged him round
the Emir approached a prisoner incapable of action. The useless sword
which hung from his saddle was taken, and water was given to the
exhausted man and his dying horse.
When the Emir Soldan and his forty followers rode into camp with
their prisoner there was a jubilant outcry, and the demand was made
that the foreign dog be instantly decapitated, but the Emir smiled and,
holding up his hand, said soothingly:
"Softly, softly, true followers of the only Prophet. Those who neglected
to remove his head while his good sword guarded it, shall not now
possess themselves of it, when that sword is in my hands."
And against this there could be no protest, for the prisoner belonged to

the Emir alone, and was to be dealt with as the captor ordained.
When the Count had recovered speech, and was able to hold himself as
a man should, the Emir summoned him, and they had a conference
together in Soldan's tent.
"Western barbarian," said the Emir, speaking in that common tongue
made up of languages Asiatic and European, a strange mixture by
means of which invaders and invaded communicated with each other,
"who are you and from what benighted land do you come?"
"I am Count Herbert von Schonburg. My castle overlooks the Rhine in
Germany."