d lies in El-Fasher," reiterated Fatma, "but
if even he broke his faith with the Government, I swear before you, my
benefactor, that if I am allowed to depart I will entreat Mohammed
Ahmed until I secure the deliverance of your captives."

"Very well. I promise you once more that I will intercede for you with
the Khedive."

Fatma began to prostrate herself.

"Thank you, Sidi! You are not only powerful, but just. And now I
entreat that you permit me to serve you as a slave."

"In Egypt no one can be a slave," answered Mr. Rawlinson with a smile.
"I have enough servants and cannot avail myself of your services; for,
as I told you, we all are leaving for Medinet and perhaps will remain
there until Ramazan."

"I know, sir, for the overseer, Chadigi, told me about that. I, when I
heard of it, came not only to implore you for help, but also to tell
you that two men of my Dongola tribe, Idris and Gebhr, are camel
drivers in Medinet and will prostrate themselves before you when you
arrive, submitting to your commands themselves and their camels."

"Good, good," answered the director, "but that is the affair of the
Cook Agency, not mine."

Fatma, having kissed the hands of the two engineers and the children,
departed blessing Nell particularly. Both gentlemen remained silent for
a while, after which Mr. Rawlinson said:

"Poor woman! But she lies as only in the East they know how to lie, and
even in her declaration of gratitude there is a sound of some false
note."

"Undoubtedly," answered Pan Tarkowski; "but to tell the truth, whether
Smain betrayed or did not, the Government has no right to detain her in
Egypt, as she cannot be held responsible for her husband."

"The Government does not now allow any Sudanese to leave for Suakin or
Nubia without a special permit; so the prohibition does not affect
Fatma alone. Many of them are found in Egypt for they come here for
gain. Among them are some who belong to the Dongolese tribe; that is
the one from which the Mahdi comes. There are, for instance, besides
Fatma, Chadigi and those two camel drivers in Medinet. The Mahdists
call the Egyptians Turks and are carrying on a war with them, but among
the local Arabs can be found a considerable number of adherents of the
Mahdi, who would willingly join him. We must number among them all the
fanatics, all the partisans of Arabi Pasha, and many among the poorer
classes. They hold it ill of the Government that it yielded entirely to