id on the
morrow. A few hours ago he had seen no way out of it all--he had had no
real hope that Kaid would turn to him again; but the last two hours had
changed all that. Hope was alive in him. He had fought a desperate fight
with himself, and he had conquered. Then had come Achmet, unrepentant,
degraded still, but with the spirit of Something glowing--Achmet to die
for a cause, driven by that Something deep beneath the degradation and
the crime. He had hope, and, as the camel-driver's voice died away,
and he lay down with a sheep-skin over him and went instantly to sleep,
David drew to the fire and sat down beside it. Presently Ebn Ezra came
to urge him to go to bed, but he would not. He had slept, he said; he
had slept and rested, and the night was good--he would wait. Then the
other brought rugs and blankets, and gave David some, and lay down
beside the fire, and watched and waited for he knew not what. Ever and
ever his eyes were on David, and far back under the acacia-tree Achmet
slept as he had not slept since his doom fell on him.

At last Ebn Ezra Bey also slept; but David was awake with the night and
the benevolent moon and the marching stars. The spirit of the desert
was on him, filling him with its voiceless music. From the infinite
stretches of sand to the south came the irresistible call of life, as
soft as the leaves in a garden of roses, as deep as the sea. This world
was still, yet there seemed a low, delicate humming, as of multitudinous
looms at a distance so great that the ear but faintly caught it--the
sound of the weavers of life and destiny and eternal love, the hands of
the toilers of all the ages spinning and spinning on; and he was part
of it, not abashed or dismayed because he was but one of the illimitable
throng.

The hours wore on, but still he sat there, peace in all his heart,
energy tingling softly through every vein, the wings of hope fluttering
at his ear.

At length the morning came, and, from the west, with the rising sun,
came a traveller swiftly, making for where he was. The sleepers stirred
around him and waked and rose. The little camp became alive. As the
traveller neared the fresh-made fire, David saw that it was Lacey. He
went eagerly to meet him.

"Thee has news," he said. "I see it is so." He held Lacey's hand in his.

"Say, you are going on that expedition, Saadat. You wanted money. Will a
quarter of a million do?" David's eyes caught fire.

From the monastery there