n Arab
dragged the Colonel by his wrist-rope to the waiting camel.

"He will stay with the rearguard," said the Emir to his lieutenant. "You
can keep the women with you also."

"And this dragoman dog?"

"Put him with the others."

"And they?"

"Put them all to death."

CHAPTER IX

As none of the three could understand Arabic, the order of the Emir
would have been unintelligible to them had it not been for the conduct
of Mansoor. The unfortunate dragoman, after all his treachery and all
his subservience and apostasy, found his worst fears realised when the
Dervish leader gave his curt command. With a shriek of fear the poor
wretch threw himself forward upon his face, and clutched at the Arab's
jibbeh, clawing with his brown fingers at the edge of the cotton skirt.
The Emir tugged to free himself, and then, finding that he was still
held by that convulsive grip, he turned and kicked at Mansoor with
the vicious impatience with which one drives off a pestering cur. The
dragoman's high red tarboosh flew up into the air, and he lay groaning
upon his face where the stunning blow of the Arab's horny foot had left
him.

All was bustle and movement in the camp, for the old Emir had mounted
his camel, and some of his party were already beginning to follow
their companions. The squat lieutenant, the Moolah, and about a dozen
Dervishes surrounded the prisoners. They had not mounted their camels,
for they were told off to be the ministers of death. The three men
understood as they looked upon their faces that the sand was running
very low in the glass of their lives. Their hands were still bound, but
their guards had ceased to hold them. They turned round, all three, and
said good-bye to the women upon the camels.

"All up now, Norah," said Belmont. "It's hard luck when there was a
chance of a rescue, but we've done our best."

For the first time his wife had broken down. She was sobbing
convulsively, with her face between her hands.

"Don't cry, little woman! We've had a good time together. Give my
love to all my friends at Bray! Remember me to Amy McCarthy and to the
Blessingtons. You'll find there is enough and to spare, but I would take
Rogers's advice about the investments. Mind that!"

"O John, I won't live without you!" Sorrow for her sorrow broke the
strong man down, and he buried his face in the hairy side of her camel.
The two of them sobbed helplessly together.

Stephens meanwhile had pushed his way