ssary instructions, and before they started, Edgar took the former
apart and had a private conversation with him.

"It is possible, Ali, that the sheik's wife will, when you arrive there,
want to start at once to attend him. If she does, do not try to dissuade
her, it will be a great comfort to him to have her with him, and will
aid his recovery. I know that she is skilful in the dressing of wounds,
and will be able to cook things such as he would like, far better than
we could. No one can guide her here but yourself. Of course, when you
are once fairly across the river, you will take off that long blue gown,
and ride in your Arab dress, and she will ride with you in her own
dress, until you get within a short distance of the river; beyond that,
of course, you will again put the peasant's dress on; and before you
start to-day get such a dress also for her, and let her slip it on over
her own.

"It were best that you did not approach the ferry until it is getting
dark. You would do well to bring a comrade to take the two horses back;
Ayala could not use them. One frequently sees women riding on donkeys,
but for a peasant woman to be mounted on a horse would be unusual.
Besides, we should not know what to do with them here, and they would
have to go down every day for water. If you start at noon to-day from
Cairo, you will be there on the afternoon of the third day, and if you
start again next morning will be here on the sixth day. I will light a
fire a short distance from the front of the cave so as to act as a guide
to you when you get into the rough ground. If you are not here that
night I shall know that she is not coming. I shall say nothing about it
to the sheik or Sidi; it is better that they should not be looking
forward to it. If she did not come they might be fearing that some
misadventure had happened on the journey. In any case, you understand
that you are not to propose it to her, but are to remain altogether
silent on the subject unless she herself insists on coming."

Hassan returned with the horse carrying the four water-skins and some
provisions, including a supply of coffee, just as darkness set in; he
reported that Ali had started before noon. The next six days passed
quietly. Hassan went down twice with the horse for water, fresh meat,
fowls, and other provisions, and a supply of grain for the horse, which
was stabled in the next tomb to that they occupied. The sheik gained
strength, slowly indeed bu