us slept last night," said Iris quietly.
"You see we are so short-handed--only Mr. Wood and Mr. Garnett and
Hassan know anything about fire-arms; and Mrs. Wood and I, and Rosa,
Mrs. Wood's nurse, have been busy looking after Bruce and little Molly
Wood."

"Of course. Well, I think the first thing to do, after I have given Mr.
Cheniston this"--he had been mixing something in a little glass as he
spoke--"is to meet and hold a council of war, with a view to the most
useful disposition of our forces. After all"--he spoke more lightly, so
keen was his desire to see her look less anxious--"we are not by any
means a force to be despised. We have four able-bodied men among us; and
this place, from what I can gather, looks pretty impregnable, on one
side at least."

"Yes. Even Mr. Garnett admits that the Bedouins could hardly swarm up
that rocky wall," said Iris, with a slightly more cheerful air. "And of
course, too, we have not got to hold out indefinitely; for if my father
reaches Cairo in good time we may have the relieving force here in less
than three days."

"Of course we may!" His tone was resolutely optimistic. "Now, as soon as
Mr. Cheniston drinks this we'll set to work."

He approached the bed, and having with some difficulty roused Cheniston
from his stupor, administered the dose deftly; after which he turned to
Iris once more.

"You spoke of a nurse just now. Who is she?"

"Oh, she is only a children's nurse, and rather a broken reed at the
best of times," said Iris ruefully. "She had hysterics all last night,
but she's a bit more sensible to-day."

"Hysterics or no, she can keep watch for half an hour," said Anstice
rather grimly. "Suppose you find her and send her to me. Would you
mind?"

"I'll go at once." Iris turned towards the door, and Anstice noted with
a pang at his heart that she was certainly thinner and moved with less
buoyancy than of old. "You--you won't be too severe with her, Dr.
Anstice? After all, she is only a young girl, and she has gone through
quite a lot since yesterday morning!"

"Oh, I won't bite her head off," said Anstice, with a short laugh of
genuine amusement. "But we have no use for hysterical young women here;
and no doubt when she understands that she will amend her ways."

"Very well. I will go and find her." With a last look towards the bed
Iris vanished; and for a brief moment Anstice was left alone, to wonder
at the strange and unexpected situation in which he now fo