The fact that no blood was ever to be shed in this city had reassuring aspects.

On the other hand, how many of these Maghrabi stranglers did Bara Miyan keep as a standing army?
A Praetorian guard of men with gorilla-hands like the two already seen might, in a close corner, prove more formidable than men armed with the archaic firearms of the place or with cold steel.
A sensation of considerable uneasiness crept over the Master as he pondered the huge strength and docility of these two executioners.
It was only by reflecting that the renegade Sheik would gladly have murdered the whole Legion, and that now (by a kind of poetic justice) he had been delivered back into the hands of the Sunnites he had so long defied and outraged, that the Master could smooth his conscience for having done this thing.
The direct, efficient way, however, in which Bara Miyan dealt with one held as an enemy, urged the Master to press forward the ceremony of giving and taking salt.
At all hazards, safeguards against attack must be taken.

Once more the Master addressed Bara Miyan: "_Effendi_! Our gifts are great to thee and thine.

Great, also, is our magic.

Let thine _imams_ do their magic, and we ours.