ere
beginning to beat with their barbaric monotone. Both men walked with
their chins sunk upon their breasts, their eyes upon the ground. They
had come to the end of hope, they were possessed with a lethargy of
despair. Feversham thought not at all of the pine trees on the Surrey
hills, nor did Trench have any dread that something in his head would
snap and that which made him man be reft from him. They walked slowly,
as though their fetters had grown ten times their weight, and without a
word. So stricken, indeed, were they that an Arab turned and kept pace
beside them, and neither noticed his presence. In a few moments the Arab
spoke:--

"The camels are ready in the desert, ten miles to the west."

But he spoke in so low a voice, and those to whom he spoke were so
absorbed in misery, that the words passed unheard. He repeated them, and
Feversham looked up. Quite slowly their meaning broke in on Feversham's
mind; quite slowly he recognised the man who uttered them.

"Abou Fatma!" he said.

"Hoosh!" returned Abou Fatma, "the camels are ready."

"Now?"

"Now."

Trench leaned against the wall with his eyes closed, and the face of a
sick man. It seemed that he would swoon, and Feversham took him by the
arm.

"Is it true?" Trench asked faintly; and before Feversham could answer
Abou Fatma went on:--

"Walk forwards very slowly. Before you reach the end of the wall it will
be dusk. Draw your cloaks over your heads, wrap these rags about your
chains, so that they do not rattle. Then turn and come back, go close to
the water beyond the storehouses. I will be there with a man to remove
your chains. But keep your faces well covered and do not stop. He will
think you slaves."

With that he passed some rags to them, holding his hands behind his
back, while they stood close to him. Then he turned and hurried back.
Very slowly Feversham and Trench walked forwards in the direction of the
prison; the dusk crept across the river, mounted the long slope of sand,
enveloped them. They sat down and quickly wrapped the rags about their
chains and secured them there. From the west the colours of the sunset
had altogether faded, the darkness gathered quickly about them. They
turned and walked back along the road they had come. The drums were more
numerous now, and above the wall there rose a glare of light. By the
time they had reached the water's edge opposite the storehouses it was
dark. Abou Fatma was already waiting with his