stafel at his back.

The courtyard was hideous as a slaughter-house. Only the sky of rose and
gold reminded him of the world's beauty and the glory of morning, after
that dark nightmare which wrapped his spirit like the choking folds of a
black snake.

Outside the broken gate, in the desert, there were more traces of the
night's work; blood-stains in the sand, and in a shadowy hollow here and
there a huddled form which seemed a denser shadow. But it would not move
when other shadows crept away before the sun.

Far in the distance, as Stephen strained his eyes through the
brightening dawn, he saw flying figures of men on camels and horses; and
sounds of shooting came faintly to his ears. At last it ceased
altogether. Some of the figures had vanished. Others halted. Then it
seemed to Stephen that these last were coming back, towards the bordj.
They were riding fast, and all together, as if under discipline.
Soldiers, certainly: but were they from the north or south? Stephen
could not tell; but as his eyes searched the horizon, the doubt was
solved. Another party of men were riding southward, toward Toudja, from
the north.

"It's Sabine who has chased the Arabs. The others are just too late," he
thought. And he saw that the rescuers from Oued Tolga must reach the
bordj half an hour in advance of the men from Azzouz.

He was anxious to know what news Sabine had, and the eagerness he felt
to hear details soothed the pain and shame which weighed upon his heart.

"How am I to explain--to beg her forgiveness?" was the question that
asked itself in his mind; but he had no answer to give. Only this he
could see: after last night, he was hers, if she would take him. But he
believed that she would send him away, that she would despise him when
she had heard the whole story of his entanglement. She would say that he
belonged to the other woman, not to her. And though he was sure she
would not reproach him, he thought there were some words, some looks
which, if she could not forget, it would be hard for even her sweet
nature to forgive.

He went back to the dining-room with the news of what he had seen. And
as there was no longer any need of protection for the women, the
Highlanders came out with him and Rostafel. All four stood at the gate
of the bordj as the party of twelve soldiers rode up, on tired horses;
but Stephen was in advance, and it was he who answered Sabine's first
breathless question.

"She's safe. They're bo