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!"
"There's thousands of women that'd ride out mad to meet him," said
Soolsby carefully; "women that likes to see an Englishman that's done his
duty--ay, women and men, that'd ride hard to welcome him back from the
grave.
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