fe."

"I hope so," he answered. "Though we may be wide apart, our hearts may
be joined; and we may meet above, in that happy land to which all
Christians are bound."

I had no longer a shade of doubt as to Selim proving faithful.

Next morning Selim and I, according to the sheikh's directions, waited
outside the camp, when he, his brother Abdalah, and two other chiefs
appeared, conducting a couple of camels. On the first was placed a
palanquin of wicker-work, ornamented with silk hangings, and a tuft of
feathers on the top. Within it was seated a veiled lady and three small
children, whose black curly heads made them look more like negroes than
Arabs. There was apparently some mystery in the matter, into which it
was not my business to inquire. Leading the other camel, which was
laden with provisions and a small tent, were two guides, both of whom
were negroes, though dressed in the Arab fashion. The sheikh then
uttered a benediction on the occupant of the palanquin and her young
family, and ordered us to advance. The guides, with Selim, went first,
by the side of the baggage camel; and I, with the veiled lady, followed.
Whether I was to see her face or not, I could not tell, nor was I very
curious about piercing the mystery connected with her.

The sun was still rising at our backs, as, moving forward at a tolerably
quick pace, we soon lost sight of the camp.

We had gone several miles, Selim always keeping ahead with the guides,
with whom he was apparently engaged in an interesting conversation. I
was already beginning to feel somewhat tired, when a voice from the
palanquin desired me to take out one of the children, as the little
urchin had a fancy to be carried instead of being cooped up within it.
Unwilling to disoblige the lady, I obeyed; so, placing the child on my
shoulder, we again moved on--though, as I dragged my weary limbs along,
I felt very much inclined to let the young urchin drop. Feeling, at
last, that I could no longer carry him, I begged the veiled lady to take
him in again; but she, looking on me as a slave bound to obey her
commands, replied that he preferred riding on my back, and that I must
carry him as long as he wished. Accordingly, to avoid a dispute, I
again took up the urchin and staggered on, strengthened by the hope that
my days of slavery would soon come to an end.

I had not forgotten my suspicions about Antonio, and wondered whether he
was still in the neighbourhood, or