cend to the
boat. That within him that set itself to make thin cloud of the
taskmaster pulled him back as by the hair of the head and cast him
down upon the rocky floor.

He lay still, half upon his face buried in the bend of his arm. He
felt misery.

"My soul is sick--a beggar--like to become an outcast!"

How long he lay here now he did not know. The nadir of night was
passed, but there was cold and voidness, an abyss. He felt as one
fallen from a great height long ago. "There is no help here! Let me
only go to an eternal sleep--"

A wind began. In the east the sky grew whiter than elsewhere. There
came a sword-blow from an unseen hand, ripping and tearing veils.
_Elspeth--Elspeth Barrow!_

In a bitterness as of myrrh he came into touch with cleanness, purity,
wholeness. Henceforth there was invisible light. Its first action was
not to show him scorchingly the night of Egypt, but with the quietness
of the whitening east to bring a larger understanding of Elspeth.

CHAPTER XXX

The caravan, having spent three days in a town the edge of the desert,
set forth in the afternoon. The caravan was a considerable one. Three
hundred camels, more than a hundred asses, went heavily laden. Twenty
men rode excellent horses; ten, poorer steeds; the company of others
mounted with the merchandise or, staff in hand, strode beside. In safe
stretches occurred a long stringing out, with lagging at the rear; in
stretches where robber bands or other dangers might be apprehended
things became compact. Besides traders and their employ, there rode or
walked a handful of chance folk who had occasion for the desert or for
places beyond it. These paid some much, some little, but all something
for the advantage of this convoy. The traders did not look to lose,
whoever went with them. Altogether, several hundred men journeyed in
company.

The elected chief of the caravan was a tall Arab, Zeyn al-Din. Twelve
of the camels were his; he was a merchant of spices, of wrought stuff,
girdles, and gems--a man of forty, bold and with scope. He rode a fine
horse and kept usually at the head of the caravan. But now and again
he went up and down, seeing to things. Then there was talking, loud
or low, between the head man and units of the march.

Starting from its home city, this caravan had been for two days in
good spirits. Then had become to creep in disaster, not excessive, but
persistent. One thing and another befell, and at last a stea