Part 36 (1/2)

She did not altogether understand what the trouble was about. Daniel had attacked her so suddenly, just when she had been wholly engaged in attacking him. So far as she could make out, he had been angry with her because she had made a fuss about his relations.h.i.+p with Lizette. ”I suppose,” she thought to herself, ”he thinks a woman oughtn't to question a man's movements, or know anything about what he is doing when he is not with her. It doesn't seem fair somehow....”

She did not in the least realize that Daniel's hostility had been aroused by her belief that there was anything between him and Lizette, and by her readiness, in spite of that belief, to overlook his supposed deception as soon as she had vented her feelings by a brief show of temper. She felt that he had been harsh, and rather brazen about the whole thing; and yet, so greatly did she yearn for his love, she was prepared to forgive even his brutality.

She turned to her companion. ”I don't think I can wait till the morning,” she said. ”I'm going to ride over to his camp now, and say I'm sorry. It's only a mile out of the way, and I'll be home almost as soon as you.”

Kate was sympathetic. ”Go on, then,” she replied. ”I'll hint to the others that you've got a stomach-ache or something, and have ridden on.

And let me see more colour in that old mug of yours when you get back.”

She leant forward in her saddle, and struck her companion's horse with her cane, so that he went off at a gallop across the sand.

Bearing off to the left, Muriel soon described the head of rock which overlooked the camp; but approaching it thus from the south she knew that the tents would not come into view until she had rounded this ridge.

She had no idea what she was going to say. She thought only that she would go into his tent, where she would probably find him writing at his table; and she would put her arms about him, and tell him that she could not live under his displeasure.

At last she reached the rocks; and, as she rode round them, she drew up her reins and prepared to dismount. Then, with horrible suddenness, the truth was, as it were flung at her. Where she had thought to see the tents, there was only a patch of broken-up sand, a few bits of paper and straw, and innumerable footprints.

She uttered a little cry of dismay, and, with wide, frightened eyes, gazed about her. The footprints of the camels pa.s.sed in a thin line out to the west, and she could see them winding away into the silent desert.

CHAPTER XXIII-THE NATURE OF WOMEN

Kate Bindane had just gone up to her room and was standing there alone, examining herself disapprovingly in the long mirror, when Muriel staggered in, her face white, her knees giving way.

”Kate!” she cried. ”He's gone!”

She threw herself down on the floor in front of a low arm-chair, and spreading her arms across its seat, buried her face in them.

Her friend stood perfectly still for a few moments, staring down at her in amazement. She had never before seen Muriel give way to uncontrolled grief in this manner; and she was frightened by the terrible rasping of her m.u.f.fled sobs, and by the convulsive heaving of her shoulders. She did not know what to do, and her hands hesitated uncertainly between the whiskey-bottle standing on a shelf and the smelling-salts upon the dressing-table near to it.

At last, discarding the stimulants, she knelt down by her friend's side, and put her strong arm around her. The tears had come into her own eyes, and as she patted Muriel's shoulder, she fumbled for her handkerchief with her disengaged hand.

”Hush, hush, my darling!” she whispered. ”Tell me what has happened.”

”He's gone,” Muriel sobbed. ”The camp's gone. I saw the track of his camels leading away into the desert.”

She could say no more, and for a considerable time continued her pa.s.sionate weeping.

At length she raised her head. ”There are only some bits of paper and things left,” she moaned; and therewith she returned to her bitter tears.

Kate rose to her feet. ”I am going to 'phone your father,” she said, ”and ask him what has happened.”

She gave Muriel an encouraging pat, and hastened into the adjoining sitting-room, where a telephone was affixed to the wall. A few minutes later she was speaking to Lord Blair, asking him the reason of Daniel's departure.

”We've just seen the deserted site of his camp,” she said, ”and poor Muriel is in floods of tears.”

”Dear, dear!” came the reply. ”Poor girl! Tell her Daniel has only gone away for a short time. I have had to send him to the Oases on business, that's all.”

”Rather sudden, wasn't it?” queried Kate.

Lord Blair coughed. ”Daniel is always very prompt to act, when action has to be taken,” he said.