something furtive in the manner
of his informant's glance, and Sime looked at him significantly.

"_Khamsin_ brings clouds of septic dust with it," he said. "Let us
hope that these attacks are due to nothing more than the unexpected
rise in the temperature."

An air of uneasiness prevailed now throughout the hotel. The wind had
considerably abated, and crowds were leaving, pouring from the steps
into the deserted street, a dreamlike company.

Colonel Royland took Sime aside, as the latter was making his way back
to the buffet. The Colonel, whose regiment was stationed at the
Citadel, had known Sime almost from childhood.

"You know, my boy," he said, "I should never have allowed Eileen" (his
daughter) "to remain in Cairo, if I had foreseen this change in the
weather. This infernal wind, coming right through the native town, is
loaded with infection."

"Has it affected her, then?" asked Sime anxiously.

"She nearly fainted in the ball-room," replied the Colonel. "Her
mother took her home half an hour ago. I looked for you everywhere,
but couldn't find you."

"Quite a number have succumbed," said Sime.

"Eileen seemed to be slightly hysterical," continued the Colonel. "She
persisted that someone wearing a crocodile mask had been standing
beside her at the moment that she was taken ill."

Sime started; perhaps Cairn's story was not a matter of imagination
after all.

"There is someone here, dressed like that, I believe," he replied,
with affected carelessness. "He seems to have frightened several
people. Any idea who he is?"

"My dear chap!" cried the Colonel, "I have been searching the place
for him! But I have never once set eyes upon him. I was about to ask
if _you_ knew anything about it!"

Sime returned to the table where Cairn was sitting. The latter seemed
to have recovered somewhat; but he looked far from well. Sime stared
at him critically.

"I should turn in," he said, "if I were you. _Khamsin_ is playing the
deuce with people. I only hope it does not justify its name and blow
for fifty days."

"Have you seen the man in the mask!" asked Cairn.

"No," replied Sime, "but he's here alright; others have seen him."

Cairn stood up rather unsteadily, and with Sime made his way through
the moving crowd to the stairs. The band was still playing, but the
cloud of gloom which had settled upon the place, refused to be
dissipated.

"Good-night, Cairn," said Sime, "see you in the morning."

Robert Ca