hing demented in a dream, and as he rode he
looked back over his shoulder, as if he feared pursuit. Mademoiselle
could see his fierce eyes, like the eyes of a desert eagle that stares
unwinking at the glaring African sun. He urged on his fleet horse. She
could hear now the ceaseless thud of its hoofs upon the hard sand as it
drew nearer and nearer. She could see the white foam upon its steaming
flanks, and now at last she knew that the burden which the Arab bore
across his saddle and supported with his arms was a woman. Her robe flew
out upon the wind; her dark, loose hair streamed over the breast of the
horseman; her face was hidden against his heart; but mademoiselle saw
his face, uttered a cry, and shrank back against the canvas of the tent.

"For it was the face of the Spahi who had ridden in the procession of
the Governor--of the Spahi to whom she had thrown the roses from the
balcony of Algiers.

"As she cried out the mirage faded, the Arab vanished, the thud of the
horse's hoofs died in her ears, and Tahar, the dragoman, glided round
the tent, and stood before her. His eyes gleamed in the moonlight like
ebon jewels.

"'Hush!' he whispered, 'mademoiselle sees the mirage?'

"Mademoiselle could not speak. She stared into the eyes of Tahar, and
hers were dilated with wonder.

"He drew nearer to her.

"'Mademoiselle has seen again the horseman and his burden.'

"She bowed her head. All things seemed dream-like to her. Tahar's voice
was low and monotonous, and sounded far away.

"'It is fate,' he said. He paused, gazing upon her.

"'In the tents they all sleep,' he murmured. 'Even the watchman sleeps,
for I have given him a powder of hashish, and hashish gives long
dreams--long dreams.'

"From beneath his robe he drew a small box, opened it, and showed to
mademoiselle a dark brown powder, which he shook into a tiny cup of
water.

"'Mademoiselle shall drink, as the watchman has drunk,' he said--'shall
drink and dream.'

"He held the cup to her lips, and she, fascinated by his eyes, as by the
eyes of a mesmerist, could not disobey him. She swallowed the hashish,
swayed, and fell forward into his arms.

"A moment later, across the spaces of the desert, whitened by the moon,
rode the figure mademoiselle had seen in the mirage. Upon his saddle
he bore a dreaming woman. And in the ears of the woman through all the
night beat the thunderous music of a horse's hoofs spurning the desert
sand. Mademoiselle had t