s had passed since the saint had been
laid to rest. They were now making for a rock-village, which would
take them slightly out of their direct route, but from Abdul's account
of the place Michael thought that the delay would be well worth while.
A short extension of their journey could make but little difference to
the finding of the treasure.

The village was a subterranean one; its streets and dwelling-houses
were cut out of the desert-rock. It had been inhabited by desert
people since immemorial times. Obviously its origin had been for
secrecy and security. Fugitives had probably made it and lived in it
just as the early Christians, during their period of persecution, lived
in the catacombs in Rome.

Michael had been far from well for some days past. Abdul was anxious
about his health. There had been no fresh cases of smallpox in the
camp and Michael's present condition indicated a touch of fever rather
than any contagious malady. He often felt sick; he was easily tired
and his excellent powers of sleeping had deserted him.

He was troubled about Margaret. He had neither heard from her nor was
he certain that she had received any of his letters. During the
saint's illness he had written her two letters, which his friends at
the Bedouin camp had promised to deliver to the next desert
mail-carrier who passed their hamlet. He had sent a runner to the
village to which he had told Margaret that she was to write. The
runner returned, bearing no letter.

It was consistent with native etiquette that he should pay a visit to
the _omdeh_ of the subterranean village, which he wished to pass
through. Abdul had a slight acquaintance with him and, being more than
a little anxious about his master's health, he thought that Michael's
visit to him might prove of value should any serious illness overtake
him.

It was about three o'clock in the afternoon when they arrived at the
entrance of the village, an uninviting underground labyrinth, where the
sun never penetrated and where men, women and children lived in homes
cut out of the virgin rock. It was, of course, necessary to leave
their camels and go through the village on foot. Abdul told the
servants that he alone would go with his master; they were to meet them
in the desert at the other entrance to the village.

As Michael followed the tall figure of Abdul through the narrow
streets, which were as dark as railway tunnels, he felt horribly sick.
He was well