e opportunity to take back the fourth of her own
free will, no longer troubled him. Even that great hope of "the
afterwards" was for the moment banished from his mind. He thought only
of Trench and the few awkward words he had spoken in the corner of the
zareeba on the first night when they lay side by side under the sky.
"No," he repeated, "he must not die here." And through all that day and
night he watched by Trench's side the long hard battle between life and
death. At one moment it seemed that the three years of the House of
Stone must win the victory, at another that Trench's strong constitution
and wiry frame would get the better of the three years.

For that night, at all events, they did, and the struggle was prolonged.
The dangerous seventh day was passed. Even Ibrahim began to gain hope;
and on the thirteenth day Trench slept and did not ramble during his
sleep, and when he waked it was with a clear head. He found himself
alone, and so swathed in camel-cloths that he could not stir; but the
heat of the day was past, and the shadow of the House of Stone lay black
upon the sand of the zareeba. He had not any wish to stir, and he lay
wondering idly how long he had been ill. While he wondered he heard the
shouts of the gaolers, the cries of the prisoners outside the zareeba
and in the direction of the river. The gate was opened, and the
prisoners flocked in. Feversham was among them, and he walked straight
to Trench's corner.

"Thank God!" he cried. "I would not have left you, but I was compelled.
We have been unloading boats all day." And he dropped in fatigue by
Trench's side.

"How long have I lain ill?" asked Trench.

"Thirteen days."

"It will be a month before I can travel. You must go, Feversham. You
must leave me here, and go while you still can. Perhaps when you come to
Assouan you can do something for me. I could not move at present. You
will go to-morrow?"

"No, I should not go without you in any case," answered Feversham. "As
it is, it is too late."

"Too late?" Trench repeated. He took in the meaning of the words but
slowly; he was almost reluctant to be disturbed by their mere sound; he
wished just to lie idle for a long time in the cool of the sunset. But
gradually the import of what Feversham had said forced itself into his
mind.

"Too late? Then the man in the blue gown has gone?"

"Yes. He spoke to me yesterday by the river. The camel men would wait no
longer. They were afraid of det