eir early dinner.

They were a thoroughly happy trio, for whatever interested one of them
became at once equally interesting to the others, and so Harry could
have his talk out about the friends he had just parted from without fear
of boring any one.

It was a great sorrow to Mrs Forsyth that her son should be going back
to Egypt so soon. She had hoped that the anxiety she had suffered
during his former absence was at an end, at least, for some considerable
time.

"If his constitution were but settled," she said, "I should not so much
mind; but he is not quite nineteen yet."

And Beatrice tried to be cheerful, and make light of it, but she was
sorely disappointed also.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

A VERY LONG PAPER-CHASE.

It was not without very careful consideration that Harry Forsyth had
determined to sacrifice his immediate salary, if not his prospects of
success in the commercial line for ever, in order to track Daireh, and
obtain the abstracted will.

On learning the whole story on his return to England, he had indeed at
once thought that that was the best thing to be done, but had not been
hasty in settling to do it.

His first act was to go to Dublin; his next to tell the whole story to
Mr Williams, the head of the house which employed him in London, and he
somewhat reluctantly fell in with his views, his hesitation arising
principally from Harry's youth.

"You are very young," he said, "but you have proved that you have a head
on your shoulders; and if your mother and sister have enough to support
them, and you possess funds for the journey, I cannot dissuade you from
the attempt. If you fail, come back to us, and we will see if we cannot
give you employment again. And even if you succeed you had better not
lead an idle life, and need not sever all connection with us. At any
rate, I will do what I can by letters of introduction to aid you."

Harry thanked Mr Williams heartily, and that gentleman was better than
his word, for, besides the letters, he gave him charge of some goods
which had to be sent out to Cairo, by which he not only got a free
passage, but salary up to the date of his arrival out.

Under the circumstances, and considering the object of his present visit
to Egypt, Harry had no hesitation in selling the amethysts given to him
by his uncle Ralph, or the Sheikh Burrachee. For he fully intended to
seek him, if he could not find Daireh, a matter which he felt to be
extremely problematic