'Im provide the camels for Government 'Camels Corpse,'" pointing
to the Camelry Corps, where perspiring Tommies and a seething mass of
brown beasts were literally raising the dust on the other side of the
railroad. "'Im," he continued, "is ze great man, from far away over ze
Canal from ze greates' and best part of South Arabia. Is rich, oh!
rich! Oh! so very rich--_riche comme le diable, Madame_. Is master of
many villages, many peoples, but is 'ow say, my lady--_est
etrange_--and feared. 'Is word is ze law and 'is arm is ze iron and 'e
can also shoot ze fly on ze top of Cheops!"

The man paused, literally from want of breath.

"He is evidently a very fine man," said Jill, it must be confessed a
little disappointedly, having expected something a little less ordinary
in the way of history, "but I can't say I see anything strange about it
all!"

The dragoman, slightly downcast by the lack of enthusiasm on the part
of his audience, took in a huge quantity of the absolutely stifling air
and started afresh.

"Oh! _mais, Madame_, ze strange zing is zat wiz all 'is rich, all 'is
camel, all 'is 'ouse--ah! I forgot zat is 'is Ismailiah 'ouse,"
pointing a long, brown finger to a huge pink edifice, standing like a
huge pink birthday cake under the blazing sun on the edge of the
town--"'e 'as no woman--no not an one--not wife--not lady--zere is
tales of one wife long ago over zere," pointing vaguely in the
direction he imagined South Arabia might be, "but feared, we say and
ask nozing--no! ze great Hahmed live alone--not zere------" Once more
pointing contemptuously to the pink abode. "Zat but a business
'ouse--ze most beautiful place in one oasis! Ze Flat Oasis! Ah
Madame! _comme c'est 'belle_--I who 'ave been on camel business can
tell, ze 'ouse, ze shade, ze water--but no lady, no children, no son,
no one--'e go and sleep and live all by self alone--_triste_, Madame,
because 'e is ze great, ze just, but go always alone in ze night to 'is
oasis _bien aimee_ and------"

And here the uplifting of an angry guttural voice caused him to turn
and run hurriedly towards a figure vehemently signalling with a huge
fawn-coloured sun-shade lined with green.

And as he ran the soul of the desert, born of the sun, palms, ennui,
flies, the sand, and Allah knows what besides, suddenly sat up in
Jill's eyes and laughed, and as she laughed the words "Go always alone
in ze night to 'is oasis _bien aimee_" rang in the girl's ears, a