felt the stir of
life's passion and pain and penalty, here, now, she lost herself in a
beautiful, buoyant dream. She was riding out to meet the one man of all
men, hero, crusader, rescuer--ah, that dreadful night in the Palace, and
Foorgat's face! But he was coming, who had made her live, to whom she
had called, to whom her soul had spoken in its grief and misery. Had she
ever done aught to shame the best that was in herself--and had she not
been sorely tempted? Had she not striven to love Eglington even when
the worst was come, not alone at her own soul's command, but because she
knew that this man would have it so? Broken by her own sorrow, she had
left England, Eglington--all, to keep her pledge to help him in his hour
of need, to try and save him to the world, if that might be. So she had
come to Nahoum, who was binding him down on the bed of torture and of
death. And yet, alas! not herself had conquered Nahoum, but David, as
Nahoum had said. She herself had not done this one thing which would
have compensated for all that she had suffered. This had not been
permitted; but it remained that she had come here to do it, and perhaps
he would understand when he saw her.

Yes, she knew he would understand! She flung up her head to the sun
and the pulse-stirring air, and, as she did so, she saw his cavalcade
approaching. She was sure it was he, even when he was far off, by the
same sure instinct that convinced him. For an instant she hesitated. She
would turn back, and meet him with the crowd. Then she looked around.
The desert was deserted by all save herself and himself and those who
were with him. No. Her mind was made up. She would ride forward. She
would be the first to welcome him back to life and the world. He and she
would meet alone in the desert. For one minute they would be alone, they
two, with the world afar, they two, to meet, to greet--and to part. Out
of all that Fate had to give of sorrow and loss, this one delectable
moment, no matter what came after.

"David!" she cried with beating heart, and rode on, harder and harder.

Now she saw him ride ahead of the others. Ah, he knew that it was she,
though he could not see her face! Nearer and nearer. Now they looked
into each other's eyes.

She saw him stop his camel and make it kneel for the dismounting. She
stopped her horse also, and slid to the ground, and stood waiting, one
hand upon the horse's neck. He hastened forward, then stood still, a few
feet