ving
into his cabin, he had reappeared within an hour exactly as he had been
before that fatal moment when he had been cut off from the manifold
resources of civilisation. And he looked in such a sternly questioning
manner at every one who stared at him, that no one had the moral
courage to make any remark about this modern miracle. It was observed
from that time forward that, if the Colonel had only to ride a hundred
yards into the desert, he always began his preparations by putting a
small black bottle with a pink label into the side-pocket of his coat.
But those who knew him best at times when a man may best be known, said
that the old soldier had a young man's heart and a young man's spirit--
so that if he wished to keep a young man's colour also it was not very
unreasonable after all.

It was very soothing and restful up there on the saloon deck, with no
sound but the gentle lipping of the water as it rippled against the
sides of the steamer. The red after-glow was in the western sky, and it
mottled the broad, smooth river with crimson. Dimly they could discern
the tall figures of herons standing upon the sand-banks, and farther off
the line of riverside date-palms glided past them in a majestic
procession. Once more the silver stars were twinkling out, the same
clear, placid, inexorable stars to which their weary eyes had been so
often upturned during the long nights of their desert martyrdom.

"Where do you put up in Cairo, Miss Adams?" asked Mrs. Belmont at last.

"Shepheard's, I think."

"And you, Mr. Stephens?"

"Oh, Shepheard's, decidedly."

"We are staying at the Continental. I hope we shall not lose sight of
you."

"I don't want ever to lose sight of you, Mrs. Belmont," cried Sadie.
"Oh, you must come to the States, and we'll give you just a lovely
time."

Mrs. Belmont laughed, in her pleasant, mellow fashion.

"We have our duty to do in Ireland, and we have been too long away from
it already. My husband has his business, and I have my home, and they
are both going to rack and ruin. Besides," she added slyly, "it is just
possible that if we did come to the States we might not find you there."

"We must all meet again," said Belmont, "if only to talk our adventures
over once more. It will be easier in a year or two. We are still too
near them."

"And yet how far away and dream-like it all seems!" remarked his wife.
"Providence is very good in softening disagreeable remembrances in our