m taking you to a place
where I can look after you myself, and where there will be no chance of
any meddlesome European doctors interfering with my course of
treatment."

The ten minutes he had predicted seemed like centuries, and, had I been
asked, I should have declared that at least two hours elapsed between
our leaving the Temple of Ammon and our arrival at our destination.
During that time my agony was well nigh unbearable. My throat was
swelling and I felt as if I were suffocating. My limbs quivered as
though they had been stricken with the palsy, and the entire landscape
was blotted out by a red mist as thick as blood.

More dead than alive, I accommodated myself to the shuffling tread of
the camel as best I could, and when at last I heard Pharos say in
Arabic, "It is here; bid the beast lie down," my last ounce of strength
departed and I lost consciousness.

How long I remained in this state I had no idea at the time, but when I
recovered my senses again I found myself lying in an Arab tent, upon a
rough bed made up upon the sand. I was as weak as a kitten, and when I
looked at my hand as it lay upon the rough blanket I scarcely recognised
it, so white and emaciated was it. Not being able to understand the
reason of my present location, I raised myself on my elbow and looked
out under the flap of the tent. All I could see there, however, was
desert sand, a half-starved dog prowling about in the foreground in
search of something to eat, and a group of palm trees upon the far
horizon. While I was thus investigating my surroundings the same Arab
who had assured me that I had slept all night on the block of stone in
the temple made his appearance with a bowl of broth which he gave to me,
putting his arm round me and assisting me to sit up while I drank it. I
questioned him as to where I was and how long I had been there, but he
only shook his head, saying that he could tell me nothing. The broth,
however, did me good, more good than any information could have done,
and after he had left me I laid myself down and in a few moments was
asleep again. When I woke it was late in the afternoon and the sun was
sinking behind the palm trees to which I referred just now. As it
disappeared Pharos entered the tent and expressed his delight at finding
me conscious once more. I put the same questions to him that I had asked
the Arab, and found that he was inclined to be somewhat more
communicative.

"You have now been ill th