th safe, thank God. So are we all, except poor
Caird, who's damaged a good deal worse than any of us. But not
dangerously, I hope."

"I brought our surgeon," said Sabine, eagerly. "He wanted to be in this
with me. I had to ask for the command, because you know I'm on special
duty at Tolga. But I had no trouble with Major Duprez when I told him
how friends of mine were attacked by Arab robbers, and how I had got the
message."

"So that's what you told him?"

"Yes. I didn't want a scandal in the Zaouia, for _her_ sake. Nobody
knows that the marabout is for anything in this business. But, of
course, if you've killed him----"

"We haven't. He's got clear away. Unless your men have nabbed him and
his friend Maieddine."

"Not we. I'm not sure I cared to--unless we could kill him. But we did
honestly try--to do both. There were six we chased----"

"Only six. Then we must have polished off more than we thought."

"We can find out later how many. But the last six didn't get off without
a scratch, I assure you. They must have had a sentinel watching. We saw
no one, but as we were hoping to surprise the bordj these six men, who
looked from a distance like Touaregs, rushed out, mounted horses and
camels and dashed away, striking westward."

"They dared not go north. I'd been signalling----"

"From the broken tower?"

"Yes. As you came, you must have sighted the men from Azzouz. But tell
me the rest."

"There's little to tell, and I want your news more than you can want
mine. The Arabs' animals were fresh, and ours tired, for I'd given them
no rest. The brutes had a good start of us and made the best of it, but
at first I thought we were gaining. We got within gunshot, and fired
after them. Two at least were hit. We came on traces of fresh blood
afterward, but the birds themselves were flown. In any case, it was to
bring help I came, not to make captures. Do you think _she_ would like
me to see her now?"

"Come with me and try, before the other rescue party arrives. I'm glad
the surgeon's with you. I'm worried about Caird, and we're all a bit
dilapidated. How we're to get him and the ladies away from this place, I
don't know. Our animals are dead or dying."

"You will probably find that the enemy has been generous in spite of
himself and left you some--all that couldn't be taken away. Strange how
those men looked like Touaregs! You are sure of what they really were?"

"Sure. But since no one else knows, why should