"There's two ways that his lordship's death concerns Claridge Pasha,"
answered Soolsby shrewdly, for though he guessed the truth concerning
Hylda and David, his was not a leaking tongue. "There's two ways it
touches him. There'll be a new man in the Foreign Office--Lord Eglington
was always against Claridge Pasha; and there's matters of land betwixt
the two estates--matters of land that's got to be settled now," he
continued, with determined and successful evasion.

The Duchess was deceived. "But you will not tell Claridge Pasha until I
have told her ladyship and I give you leave? Promise that," she urged.

"I will not tell him until then," he answered. "Look, look, your grace,"
he added, suddenly pointing towards the southern horizon, "there he
comes! Ay, 'tis Our Man, I doubt not--Our Man evermore!"

Miles away there appeared on the horizon a dozen camels being ridden
towards Assouan.

"Our Man evermore," repeated the Duchess, with a trembling smile. "Yes,
it is surely he. See, the soldiers are moving. They're going to ride
out to meet him." She made a gesture towards the far shore where Kaid's
men were saddling their horses, and to Nahoum's and Kaid's dahabiehs,
where there was a great stir.

"There's one from Hamley will meet them first," Soolsby said, and pointed
to where Hylda, in the desert, was riding towards the camels coming out
of the south.

The Duchess threw up her hands. "Dear me, dear me," she said in
distress, "if she only knew!"