"tell me, is there any news from England--from the Government?"

"From Lord Eglington? No," Nahoum answered meaningly. "I wrote to him.
Did the English Government desire to send a message to Claridge Pasha,
if the relief was accomplished? That is what I asked. But there is no
word. Malaish, Egypt will welcome him!"

She followed his eyes. Two score of dahabiehs lay along the banks of the
Nile, and on the shore were encampments of soldiers, while flags were
flying everywhere. Egypt had followed the lead of the Effendina.
Claridge Pasha's star was in its zenith.

As Nahoum's boat was rowed away, Hylda came on deck again, and the
Duchess hastened to her. Hylda caught the look in her face. "What has
happened? Is there news? Who has been here?" she asked.

The Duchess took her hands. "Nahoum has gone to tell Prince Kaid. He
came to you with the good news first," she said with a flutter.

She felt Hylda's hands turn cold. A kind of mist filled the dark eyes,
and the slim, beautiful figure swayed slightly. An instant only, and
then the lips smiled, and Hylda said in a quavering voice: "They will be
so glad in England."

"Yes, yes, my darling, that is what Nahoum said." She gave Nahoum's
message to her. "Now they'll make him a peer, I suppose, after having
deserted him. So English!"

She did not understand why Hylda's hands trembled so, why so strange a
look came into her face, but, in an instant, the rare and appealing eyes