t its back where mail is
distributed. For him there was a great budget and he carried it out to
one of the tables on the awninged terrace which overlooks the street.

Yes, here was the publisher's note. He tore the envelope. "You have
become famous," began his enthusiastic sponsor. "The thing has been a
knockout--the presses are groaning."

He read that letter and turned to others. A dramatist wished to convert
his book into a play ... several magazines wanted to know when his next
story would be complete ... two or three clipping bureaus wished to
supply him with the comments of the press ... many of the missives bore
the marks of much forwarding. Some had followed him half way around the
world. Then at the bottom of the pile he found a small but thickly
filled envelope. As it peeped out at him from under others his heart
leaped wildly and he seized it. It was addressed in the hand of
Conscience Williams. She had written to him! Why should she write except
to tell him he might come back? Cairo was a wonderful place! The entire
world was a wonderful place! A street fakir thrust a tray of scarabs up
from the sidewalk and grinned. Farquaharson grinned back and tossed him
_backsheesh_. Then he opened his missive. A young British army officer
looked on idly from the next table, amused at the boyish enthusiasm of
the American. As the American read the officer saw the delight die out
of his eyes and the face turn by stages to the seeming of a mummy.

Conscience had written a letter in which she suggested that, now at
least, they might say farewell in all friendliness. She was going to
marry Tollman, to whose great kindness she paid a generous tribute. The
date was not set but it would be some time that winter.

"I've had a great deal of time to think and little else to do, Stuart,"
she wrote, and at this point the penmanship had suffered somewhat in its
steadiness. "We have both had some troublesome times, but isn't there a
great deal we can remember of each other with pleasure? Can't it be a
memory which we need not avoid? I was bitterly rebellious and
heart-broken when you ignored the note in which I asked you, as humbly
as I could, to come back, but that is over now--"

_A note which asked him to come back!_ The letter fell from
Farquaharson's fingers. His hands themselves fell limp to the table. He
sat stupefied--staring and licking his lips.

The English officer rose and came over, dropping a kindly hand on his
sho