oom's tent, where doubtless Sanda
had been bidding the bride good-bye. Max realized that her attendant
would be shocked if he should offer to shake hands with the girl, so he
only bowed, and answered hastily in English that he was glad--glad to
see her again--glad to have the honour of being her guide. Khadra was
brought forward, and Sanda spoke a few words to her in Arabic. Then the
girl was helped into her bassourah, luggage being brought out by eunuchs
from the Agha's tent and packed in to balance the other side. Only when
the Roumia had retired behind the blue and red and purple curtains did
Ben Raana appear to wish his friend's daughter and messenger the
blessing of Allah on their journey. The caravan started, and it was not
until after the _douar_, with its green _daya_ and background of trees,
was dim in the distance that Sanda's curtains parted. Max, riding the
only horse in the party, saw the trembling of the rainbow-coloured
stuff, and glanced up, expectant. He found that his heart and all his
pulses were hammering, and as the girl's gold-brown head appeared, her
veil thrown off, something seemed to leap in his breast, something that
gave a bound like that of a great fish on a hook. She looked down and
smiled at him rather sadly, yet more sweetly it seemed to Max than any
other woman had ever smiled. He had not realized or remembered how
beautiful she was. Why, it was the most exquisite face in the world! An
angel's face, yet the face of a human girl. He adored it as a man may
adore an angel, and he loved it as a man loves a woman. A great and
irresistible tide of love rushed over him. What a fool, what a young,
simple fool he had been to think that he had ever loved Billie
Brookton! That seemed hundreds of years ago, in another incarnation,
when he had been undeveloped, when his soul had been asleep. His soul
was awake now! Something had awakened it; life in the Legion, perhaps,
for that had begun to show him his own capabilities; or else love
itself, which had been waiting to say: "I am here, now and forever."

Max was almost afraid to look at Sanda lest she should read through his
eyes the words written on his heart. But then he remembered in a flash
her love for Stanton, which would blind her to such feelings in other
men. He felt sick for an instant in his hopelessness. Wherever he
turned, whatever he did, happiness seemed never to be for him.

"You don't know how glad I am to see you!" the girl explained