Courtney look at him puzzled and baffled.

"Then your 'scientific ghosts' are positive realities?" he began;
here he gave a violent start as a tall white figure suddenly moved
out of the shadows in the garden and came slowly towards them.
"Upon my life, Doctor, you have made me quite nervous!"

"No, no, surely not," smiled the Doctor pleasantly--"not nervous!
Not such a brave killer of game as you are! No, no! You don't take
Monsieur Armand Gervase for a ghost, do you? He is too
substantial,--far too substantial! Ha! ha! ha!"

And he laughed quietly, the wrinkled smile still remaining on his
face as Gervase approached.

"Everybody is going to bed," said the great artist lazily. "With
the departure of the Princess Ziska, the pleasures of the evening
are ended."

"She is certainly the belle of Cairo this season," said Courtney,
"but I tell you what,--I am rather sorry to see young Murray has
lost his head about her."

"Parbleu! So am I," said Gervase imperturbably; "it seems a pity."

"He will get over it," interposed Dr. Dean placidly. "It's an
illness,--like typhoid,--we must do all we can to keep down the
temperature of the patient, and we shall pull him through."