hat
yours is not love."

"Perhaps not your kind of love, with a big L. But call a rose by
whatsoever name you will, it smells as sweet. I can't quote, but you
know what I mean, and that true love without passion and passion
without love are both worthless. Every fanatic has passion in his or
her love. That is why they enjoy it--the scourging of the flesh, the
self-denial--the body enjoys this form of self-torture for the object
of its adoration. There," she said, "I will behave like the dear
little innocent you first thought I was if you will come and see the
Pyramids at sunset." The swift transition of her thoughts was typical
of her personality.

Michael's train did not leave the station for Luxor until nine-thirty.
He had nothing to do.

"If you'll come," she said, "I'll not do or say one thing to hurt you.
I'll be my very nicest--and I can be nice and good now, can't I?"

"Then come," he said. "I've not been there since the 'Great Weeping.'"
He used the old man's picturesque term for the inundation of the Nile.

Millicent Mervill was no fool. She meant to keep to her word, and did.
The evening's excursion proved a great success and restored Michael to
a more normal state of mind.

CHAPTER XI

When Michael got back to the camp there was so much genuine pleasure in
being one of the trio again that he felt that it had been well worth
the trouble of the journey, to be received back again so warmly and to
see unclouded happiness in Margaret's smile. Her character was
transparently sincere.

How radiant she looked, as Freddy and she hurried to meet him! A glad
picture for tired eyes.

"Things are 'piping'!" she said eagerly, when he inquired about the
"dig." "Freddy has only been waiting for you to come back before he
clears out the last few days' debris from the shaft. He has been
tidying up the site--it looks much more important."

Tired as Michael was after his hot journey, instinctively they turned
their steps to the excavation. Things had certainly advanced greatly
during Michael's absence. The deep shaft was almost cleared of
rubbish; the site was tidied up and in spick-and-span order.

Michael was very soon drawn into the feeling of excitement and
anticipation. Freddy, he thought, looked tired and anxious, which was,
of course, only natural, for Michael knew that on his shoulders rested
the entire responsibility of the "dig" and that anything might happen
during the time they wer