f the route which the Arab was
explaining by means of a sharp stick and a flat stretch of sand. And
in truth 'twere wise to leave it to those who are born of the desert,
for even if ignoring the danger signals of her cumbersome covering, the
body, the soul should urge the would-be traveller to tread the unknown
path, he will, if he sets foot thereon, find the discomforts out of all
proportion to the interesting dangers.

'Twere best to eschew it, keeping to the normal route of boat or rail;
even if the soul of the desert, wrapt in mystic garments, stands with
plump, henna-tipped, beckoning forefinger; for she is but a lying jade,
outcome of some digestive upheaval; the spirit of the sand, the
scorpions and the stars, beckoning to but the very few, and baring
herself to none; though the wind may lift her robes of saffron, brown
and purple, revealing for one sharp second the figure slim to
gauntness, and blow the thick, coarse black hair from before her face,
exposing those eyes of different colouring, and flaming mouth, luring
to kisses, which will steep the mind in intoxication, and rasp the lips
with stinging particles of burning sand. No! take rather the boat from
the round ring, which the Arab drew in the sand, christening it
Ismailiah; whereupon Jill got up from her place in the moon, and
crossing over to the man, crouched down beside him, the better to view
the map, taking it for an offering of prayer, when the sweetness of her
breath, and the savour of her perfume, assailing the man's nostrils, he
suddenly raised his hands to the starry heavens, praying to Allah to
give him strength.

The stick starting from the ring christened Ismailiah turned slightly
to the West and continued in a line which curved at every inch.

"I haven't the vaguest idea where we are," remarked Jill, as she took a
proffered cigarette, and proceeded to blow smoke rings in the still
night, from a mouth contracted until it looked like one of those little
leather jug purses, whilst her head, thrown back, showed the beauty of
her bare throat. Are we going towards Cairo?"

"Nay, woman! Having crossed the fertile land, outcome of the fresh
water canal at Ismailiah, we continued to the West for a space, and
then came South, winding in and out so as to miss the higher hills and
sand dunes.

"To-morrow we pass through the mountains of the Jebel Aweibid range,
and find the Haj road, which, glory to Allah, will be free of pilgrims
until next