ort, and death is sweetness when once that golden mist is round it.
So it was that Stephens could have sung with joy as he faced his
murderers. He really had not time to think about them. The important,
all-engrossing, delightful thing was that she could not look upon him as
a casual acquaintance any more. Through all her life she would think of
him--she would know.

Colonel Cochrane's camel was at one side, and the old soldier, whose
wrists had been freed, had been looking down upon the scene, and
wondering in his tenacious way whether all hope must really be
abandoned. It was evident that the Arabs who were grouped round the
victims were to remain behind with them, while the others who were
mounted would guard the three women and himself. He could not
understand why the throats of his companions had not been already cut,
unless it were that with an Eastern refinement of cruelty this rearguard
would wait until the Egyptians were close to them, so that the warm
bodies of their victims might be an insult to the pursuers. No doubt
that was the right explanation. The Colonel had heard of such a trick
before.

But in that case there would not be more than twelve Arabs with the
prisoners. Were there any of the friendly ones among them? If Tippy
Tilly and six of his men were there, and if Belmont could get his arms
free and his hand upon his revolver, they might come through yet.
The Colonel craned his neck and groaned in his disappointment. He could
see the faces of the guards in the firelight. They were all Baggara
Arabs, men who were beyond either pity or bribery. Tippy Tilly and the
others must have gone on with the advance. For the first time the stiff
old soldier abandoned hope.

"Good-bye, you fellows! God bless you!" he cried, as a negro pulled at
his camel's nose-ring and made him follow the others. The women came
after him, in a misery too deep for words. Their departure was a relief
to the three men who were left.

"I am glad they are gone," said Stephens, from his heart.

"Yes, yes, it is better," cried Fardet. "How long are we to wait?"

"Not very long now," said Belmont grimly, as the Arabs closed in around
them.

The Colonel and the three women gave one backward glance when they came
to the edge of the oasis. Between the straight stems of the palms they
saw the gleam of the fire, and above the group of Arabs they caught a
last glimpse of the three white hats. An instant later, the cam