him. She spoke almost roughly. The
noise had startled her.

"My lady, you better come in," said Ibrahim. "Very lonely heeyah. No
peoples comin' heeyah!"

She moved towards the bank. He put his hand gently under her elbow to
assist her. When they were at the top she said:

"Where's Hamza, Ibrahim?"

Ibrahim's boyish face looked grim.

"I dunno, my lady. I know nothin' at all about Hamza."

For the first time it occurred to Mrs. Armine that Ibrahim and Hamza
were no longer good friends. She opened her lips to make some enquiry
about their relation. But she shut them again without saying anything,
and in silence they walked to the house.

On the following morning, when Mrs. Armine looked out of her window, the
_Loulia_ still lay opposite. She took glasses to see if there was any
movement of the crew suggestive of impending departure. But all seemed
quiet. The men were squatting on the lower deck in happy idleness.

Then Baroudi must presently be coming.

She decided to be patient a little longer, not to make that excuse to go
to Cairo. With the morning she felt, she did not know why, more able to
endure present conditions.

But as day followed day and Baroudi made no sign, and the _Loulia_ lay
always by the western shore with the shutters closed over the cabin
windows, the intense irritation of her nerves returned, and grew with
each succeeding hour.

Isaacson had not gone to stay at an hotel, but had, as a matter of
course, taken up his abode at the villa, and he continued to live there.
She was obliged to see him perpetually, obliged to behave to him with
politeness, if not with suavity. His watch over Nigel was tireless. The
rule he had made at the beginning of his stay was not relaxed. Nigel was
not allowed to take anything from any hand but the Doctor's.

The relation between Doctor and patient was still a curious and even an
awkward one. Although Nigel's trust in the Doctor was absolute, he had
never returned to his former pleasant intimacy with his friend. At first
Isaacson had secretly anticipated a gradual growth of personal
confidence, had thought that as weakness declined, as a little strength
began to bud out almost timidly in the poor, tormented body, Nigel would
revert, perhaps unconsciously, to a happier or more friendly mood. But
though the Doctor was offered the gratitude of the patient, the friend
was never offered the cordiality of the friend.

Bella Donna's influence was stubborn. Betwe