was more than
ready for it, lapsed into silence while he ate his Huntley and Palmer
biscuits and drank his tea. His thoughts went back to el-Azhar.

His silence lasted for some time. He was very far from Shepheard's
Hotel. Margaret had not forgotten her promise. She was closer than
Millicent.

"You are not very polite--I have had to pump you with questions, or you
would not have spoken at all. I have been patient while you drank your
tea; now talk to me."

"Please forgive me, but you know I did not want to come. I was hungry
and I was going back to tea. I am not good company."

"You didn't want to come?" She laughed. "Really, your rudeness is
refreshing! The desert has made you worse than ever."

Michael looked into her beautiful eyes. "I am in no temper for banter.
You know what I mean, you know why I didn't want to have tea with you
or see you. Rudeness between us is out of the question."

"All this because you're a dear old puritan. Or is it because"--she
hardened her eyes--"because you're afraid of the dark-haired girl? Has
she forgiven you?" In the same breath she said, "When are we going on
our journey? It's my turn soon."

"What do you mean?" he said. "I wish you wouldn't talk like that. We
are going on no journey."

"You'll let me give you another cup of tea?--I'm allowed to do that
much. Well, I had my fortune told two days ago by a man at the
Pyramids. He's supposed to be very clever. He said I was going on a
journey into the desert with a man I loved; he spoke of some great
thing that was going to happen on the journey. He described you
accurately. He was really very funny--I wish you could have heard him.
He saw great wealth for you and some misfortunes."

Michael looked into her mischievous eyes. "They talk a lot of rot."

"Then you don't believe in that sort of thing? He saw sickness and
gold and love. We were in the desert. He saw gold."

"Hush," Michael said. "You must forget all that."

"It was odd, wasn't it? You know how I have urged you to go with me.
I never saw the man before, he has never seen you."

Again Michael said "Hush." Again Millicent paid no attention to him,
beyond saying that it was funny that he would never allow her to talk
of her love for him, when he had often told her all about his religion
of love.

Again Michael said, "I refuse absolutely to be drawn into a discussion
upon the subject. You are frivolous. You and I know quite well t