can ask the favour I'm going to ask."

"A favour--from me to you, my Colonel?" Max echoed, astonished.

"Yes. You asked me for one the other night, and I granted it because it
was easy, but this is different. This is very hard. If you do the thing,
you will lose the march and the fight which we may come in for at the
end. Is there anything that could make up to you for such a sacrifice?"

"But, my Colonel," answered Max, "you have only to give me your orders,
and whatever they may be I shall be happy to carry them out." He spoke
firmly, yet he could not hide the fact that this was a blow. He had
looked forward to the march, hard as it might be, and to the excitement
at the end as a thirsty man looks forward to a draught of water.

"But I am not going to give you any orders," said DeLisle. "It would not
be fair or right. This is a private matter. I have just received a
letter from my daughter with rather bad news. I told you she was
staying in the house of one of the great chiefs of the south, a friend
of years' standing, who has a daughter of her age. I needn't give you
details, but Sanda has unfortunately offended this man in perhaps the
one way an Arab, no matter how enlightened, cannot forgive. From what
she tells me I can't wholly blame him for his anger, but--it's
impossible for her to stop longer in his house. Not that she's in
danger--no! that's incredible, Ben Raana being the man he is. An Arab's
ideas of hospitality would prevent his offering to send a guest away, no
matter how much he might want to be rid of her. Yet I can't endure the
thought of asking him for a caravan and guard after what seems to have
happened. You realize that it is impossible for me to go myself. My duty
is with my regiment. Once before, you watched over my daughter on a
journey--watched over her as a brother might watch over a sister. That
is why I ask, as a favour from one man to another, whether you would be
willing to go to the Agha's house and escort my daughter here to
Touggourt. I know how much I am exacting of a born soldier like
yourself."

"My Colonel, you are conferring on me the Cross of the Legion of
Honour!" Max cried out impulsively.

"Then you accept?"

"I implore you to accept _me_ for the service."

"But do you thoroughly understand what it means? We go on without you.
It will be hopeless for you to follow us. I give you eight days' leave,
which will be ample time for the engaging of a small caravan--three or
f