ed on the threshold.

"Don't be afraid to come in," Stanton laughed; "the lady won't mind."

"But _I_ do," Max returned, with the curt politeness of tone which
irritated Stanton. "I'll stand here if you please."

"All right. My orders won't take long to give. I want you to go to your
friend's tent with a message from me."

"My friend's tent?" Max's eyes sent out a spark in the dull yellow
light.

"My wife's tent, then, if you think the name's more appropriate. I
believe she's likely to favour you as a messenger, and she hasn't gone
to bed, for her tent's lit up. Tell her from me, I find it subversive of
discipline in this caravan for a woman to set her will up against the
leader and live apart from her husband. Entirely for that reason and not
because I want anything to do with her, after the way I've been treated,
I've made up my mind that she and I must live together like other
married people. I wish the change to be made with the knowledge of the
whole caravan. Go and tell her to come here; and then give my orders to
Mahmoud and Zaid to bring anything over she may need."

If eyes could kill, Stanton would have dropped like a felled ox. But Max
would not give him the satisfaction of a blow or even of a word. With a
look of disgust such as he might have thrown at a wallowing drunkard in
a gutter, St. George turned his back on the explorer and walked away.
Before he could escape out of earshot, however, the Chief was bawling
instructions to Ahmara.

"Since that fellow is above taking a message, go you, and deliver it,"
roared Stanton, repeating in Arabic the orders flung at Max. "Her
ladyship knows enough of your language to understand. Say to her, if she
isn't at my tent door in ten minutes I'll fetch her. She won't like
that."

Max had not meant to go near Sanda, but fearing insult for her from the
Arab woman, he changed his mind, and put himself between Ahmara and
Sanda's tent. As the tall figure in its full white robes came floating
toward him in the moonlight, he blocked the way. But the dancer did not
try to pass. She paused and whispered sharply: "Thinkest thou I want the
girl to go to him? No, I'd kill her sooner. But he is watching. Let me
only tell her to beware of him. If she is out of her tent when he
searches, what can he do? And by to-morrow night I shall have had time
to make him change his mind."

"You shan't speak to Mrs. Stanton if I can help it," said Max. "Besides,
I won't trust you near h