d filth! The
_Omdeh_ of the village, a fine old gentleman, told us of the growing
unrest among the desert tribes--German work, of course; we are seeing
the fruit of it now. I paid no heed to him; I felt too ill, too tired.
I only cared about reaching the hills. When we did reach them, we
found that a camp was already established. Information had been given
to the Government." He heaved a deep sigh. "The thing was out of my
hands. I suppose the shock finished me for the time being, for when I
left the excavation-camp I became ill, so ill that Abdul had to take me
as quickly as he could to the _Omdeh's_ house near the subterranean
village. I stayed there until late on in May." He stopped abruptly.

"The rest won't bear speaking about. What made things so much worse,
Meg, was thinking about what you would be suffering, what Freddy would
be saying." His eyes sought Margaret's. "It is best to forget, it is
wiser to think of tomorrow."

"Yes, let us forget all about it," Margaret said. Michael's expression
frightened her. As a soldier he had enough to bear without raking up
what was past.

"Abdul became as dear to me as a brother," Michael said quietly. "His
devotion was wonderful! We are not of the same faith"--he was speaking
to himself--"but our God is the same God, our love for Him the same.
Abdul knew that."

"And your illness?" Millicent said. "Was it smallpox?"

"No, no--none of my camp caught it. It was enteric fever. I suppose I
was worn out, both mentally and physically. The disappointment about
the treasure was the last straw, it was so cruel. I am able to accept
it now, it doesn't hurt me any longer. The war has done that; the war
is like concentrated time--it obliterates and wipes out, and even
heals."

"But you discovered it, Michael! You were the real discoverer. If it
hadn't been for you, and for your special knowledge, the man who stole
it, who gave the information, would never have found it. And, after
all, as Michael Ireton says, that is the main point of interest."
Margaret's eyes glowed with pride. "And haven't you heard the sequel
to that tragedy?--the finding of some ancient jewels which the thief
must have dropped in the desert, not so very far from the
hill-chambers?"

As Michael had not heard that the gems had been found, Margaret told
him the story which Hadassah had written to her.

"They prove, Mike, what after all is to us the most important fact in
the whole