mind at the eleventh hour. It's perfectly safe. Mustafa Ali will take
care that everything goes smoothly. He has his reputation in Biskra to
think of. You know the character the authorities gave him. He is not
likely to throw that away. In any case I can take care of myself,
thanks to your training. I don't mind owning to being conceited about
my shooting. Even you admit that I am a credit to your teaching."

With a gay little laugh she whipped out the ivory-mounted revolver, and
aiming at a low flat rock, some distance away, fired. She was an
unusually good revolver shot, but this time she seemed to have missed.
There was no mark on the stone. Diana stared at it stupidly, a frown of
perplexity creasing her forehead. Then she looked at her brother, and
back to the revolver in her hand.

Sir Aubrey swore. "Diana! What a senseless piece of bravado!" he cried
angrily.

She took no notice of him. She was still staring at the smooth rock
fate. "I don't understand it. How could I miss? It's as big as a
house," she murmured thoughtfully, and raised the revolver again.

But Sir Aubrey caught her wrist. "For God's sake don't make a fool of
yourself a second time. You have lowered your prestige quite enough
already," he said in a low voice, with a glance at the group of
watching Arabs.

Diana jerked the little weapon back into its place reluctantly. "I
don't understand it," she said again. "It must be the light." She
mounted and wheeled her horse alongside of Sir Aubrey's, and held out
her hand. "Good-bye, Aubrey. Expect me a month after you arrive. I will