imposture? Know, once for all, that I will not.'

"'On the contrary,' said he, 'I am come to set thee at ease by proving to
thee that I shall not again require thy assistance. Follow me.'

"And I followed him to a great plain, where was a host of armed horsemen
and footmen, more than I could number. And they bore banners on which the
name of Abdallah was embroidered in letters of gold. And in the midst was
an ark of gold, with the bones of Ad's camel, or cow. And by this was a
great pile of the heads of men, and warriors were continually casting more
and more upon the heap.

"'How many?' asked Abdallah.

"'Twelve thousand, O Apostle of God,' answered they, 'but there are more to
come.'

"'Thou monster!' said I to Abdallah.

"'Nay, father,' said he, 'there will not be more than sixteen thousand in
all, and these men were unbelievers. Moreover we have spared such of their
women as were young and handsome, and have taken them for our concubines,
as is ordained in the eleventh supplement to the Book of Ad, just
promulgated by my authority. But come, I have other things to manifest unto
thee.'

"And he led me where a stake was driven into the earth, and a man was
chained unto it, and fuel was heaped all around him, and many stood by with
lighted torches in their hands.