love even the roar of the camels, don't you?" Her eyes were looking
at the animals, as they knelt at rest in the distance, their long day's
journey done. What stored-up revenge their roars suggest! They always
seem to say, "My day will come, if it is yours to-day."

"Let's think of the most English thing we can, Mike," she said
suddenly, "just by way of contrast."

They thought for a moment or two in silence. The arid desert was
softened by the absence of the sun, its desolation was made more
manifest. At night even more than by day, you could feel the immensity
of its distance, its silent rolling from ocean to ocean. Nothing
speaks to man's heart more eloquently than the voice of perfect silence.

For the sake of prudence Michael was consenting to Millicent's
suggestion to think of the most English scene he could. Was it a
village public-house, full of hearty English yokels, drinking their
evening tankards of beer? This was about the time they would assemble.
He had not yet formed his picture into words, Millicent had not spoken,
when suddenly Abdul appeared and begged permission to speak to his
master.

The sick man was better; he had eaten some food and was conscious.
Abdul had evidently some information which was for his master's ear
alone. He politely inferred that he could not say it before the
honourable lady.

Michael rose from his seat beside Millicent, who, being wise in her
generation, said: "Then I will say good-night and go to bed. I am very
tired."

"Good-night," Michael said brightly, while a sudden sense of relief
came to his heart. "I think you are very wise. You must be quite
tired out."

"So far, so good," Millicent said when she was alone. "What a weird
mystic I've attached myself to!" She alluded to Michael, not to the
Moslem saint.

Her camp-outfit was so complete that in her desert bedroom there was
scarcely an item missing which could ensure her comfort. She
contemplated going to bed with enjoyment. Where money is, there also
are the fleshpots of Egypt, even if it is in the waterless tracts of
the Arabian desert.

Material comforts meant very much to Millicent. She enjoyed using all
the little accessories belonging to a fastidious woman's toilet; she
enjoyed, too, the occupation of expending care on her person. Her
rising up and lying down were ceremonies which she performed with
unremitting attention. In her tent in the desert her perfumes and
cosmetics and bath-