, and we can ride
into El Obeid with our heads high."

"It will be good for the Soudan," Abu said. "Your father told me,
often, how peace and prosperity would return, were you ever to become
our masters; and I felt that his words were true. Two hours ago I
regretted that Allah had not let me die, so that I should not have
lived to see our people conquered. Now, I am glad. I believe all that
he said, and that the Soudan will some day become, again, a happy
country."

Khatim's men were separated from the rest of the prisoners. Six days'
supply of grain, from the stores found in the camp, were handed over to
them; together with ten camels with water skins, and they started at
once on their long march. Gregory rode out for a couple of miles with
them, and then took leave of the two emirs.

"Come to El Obeid," Khatim said, "and you shall be treated as a king.
Farewell! And may Allah preserve you!"

So they parted; and Gregory rode back to the camp, with a feeling of
much happiness that he had been enabled, in some way, to repay the
kindness shown to his dead father.

Chapter 23: An Unexpected Discovery.

The victory had been a decisive one, indeed. Three thousand prisoners,
great quantities of rifles, swords, grain, and cattle had been
captured; together with six thousand women and children. A thousand
Dervishes had been killed or wounded. All the most important emirs had
been killed, and the Sheik Ed Din, the Khalifa's eldest son and
intended successor, was, with twenty-nine other emirs, among the
prisoners. Our total loss was four men killed, and two officers and
twenty-seven men wounded in the action.

"I am much obliged to you, Mr. Hilliard," Colonel Wingate said to him,
that evening, "for the valuable services you have rendered, and shall
have the pleasure of including your name among the officers who have
specially distinguished themselves. As it was mentioned by General
Rundle and Colonel Parsons--by the former for undertaking the hazardous
service of carrying despatches to the latter, and by Colonel Parsons
for gallant conduct in the field--you ought to be sure of promotion,
when matters are arranged here."

"Thank you very much, sir! May I ask a favour?

"You know the outline of my story. I have learned, by the papers I
obtained at Hebbeh, and others which I was charged not to open until I
had certain proof of my father's death, that the name under which he
was known was an assumed one. He had had