the ground and kneel to say his evening prayer,
as Mahomet had done in his flight between Mecca and Medina, the distance
between the Egypt of his desire and the ancient Egypt that moved round
him sharply impressed his mind, and the magnitude of his task settled
heavily on his spirit.

"But it is the beginning--the beginning," he said aloud to himself,
looking out upon the green expanses of dourha and Lucerne, and eyeing
lovingly the cotton-fields here and there, the origin of the industrial
movement he foresaw--"and some one had to begin. The rest is as it must
be--"

There was a touch of Oriental philosophy in his mind--was it not Galilee
and the Nazarene, that Oriental source from which Mahomet also drew? But
he added to the "as it must be" the words, "and as God wills." He was
alone in the compartment with Lacey, whose natural garrulity had had a
severe discipline in the months that had passed since he had asked to
be allowed to black David's boots. He could now sit for an hour silent,
talking to himself, carrying on unheard conversations. Seeing David's
mood, he had not spoken twice on this journey, but had made notes in a
little "Book of Experience,"--as once he had done in Mexico. At last,
however, he raised his head, and looked eagerly out of the window as
David did, and sniffed.

"The Nile again," he said, and smiled. The attraction of the Nile was
upon him, as it grows on every one who lives in Egypt. The Nile and
Egypt--Egypt and the Nile--its mystery, its greatness, its benevolence,
its life-giving power, without which Egypt is as the Sahara, it conquers
the mind of every man at last.

"The Nile, yes," rejoined David, and smiled also. "We shall cross it
presently."

Again they relapsed into silence, broken only by the clang, clang of the
metal on the rails, and then presently another, more hollow sound--the
engine was upon the bridge. Lacey got up and put his head out of the
window. Suddenly there was a cry of fear and horror over his head, a
warning voice shrieking:

"The bridge is open--we are lost. Effendi--master--Allah!" It was the
voice of Mahommed Hassan, who had been perched on the roof of the car.

Like lightning Lacey realised the danger, and saw the only way of
escape. He swung open the door, even as the engine touched the edge
of the abyss and shrieked its complaint under the hand of the
terror-stricken driver, caught David's shoulder, and cried: "Jump-jump
into the river--quick!"

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