to talk about trusting him when things are going well but now is the real test if he s up there behind that blue heaven he is said a voice behind them and they found that the clergyman had joined the party his tied hands clutched on to his saddle and his fat body swayed from side to side with every stride of the his wounded leg was with blood and with flies and the burning desert sun beat down upon his bare head for he had lost both hat and umbrella in the a rising fever a desert drama his large white cheeks with a touch of colour and brought a light into his brown ox eyes he had always seemed a somewhat gross and vulgar person to his now this bitter healing draught of sorrow had transformed him he was exalted he had become so calmly strong that he made the others feel stronger as they looked upon him he spoke of life and of death of the present and their hopes of the future and the black cloud of their misery began to show a golden or two brown shrugged his shoulders for he could not change in an hour the convictions of his life but the others even the frenchman were touched and strengthened they all took off their hats when he prayed then the colonel made a out of his red silk and insisted that mr should wear it with his homely dress and gorgeous head gear he looked like a man who has dressed up to amuse the children and now the dull ceaseless a desert drama torment of thirst was added to the aching weariness which came from the motion of the the sun glared down upon them and then up again from the yellow sand and the great plain and glowed until they felt as if they were riding over a sheet of metal their lips were and dried and their tongues like of leather they curiously in their speech for it was only the sounds which would come without an effort miss s chin had dropped upon her chest and her great hat concealed her face will faint if she does not get water said oh mr is there nothing we could do the riding near were all with the exception of one negro � an uncouth fellow with a face with his expression seemed good natured when compared with that of his comrades and ventured to touch his elbow and to point to his water skin and then to the exhausted lady the negro shook his head but at the same a desert drama time he glanced significantly towards the as if to say that if it were not for them he might act differently then he laid his black forefinger upon the breast of his said he what s that asked colonel repeated the negro sinking his voice as if he wished only the prisoners to hear him the colonel shook his head my won t bear much strain i don t know what he is saying said he the negro repeated believe the fellow is friendly to us but i can t quite make him out said to do you think that he means that his name is and that he killed the negro showed his great white teeth at hearing his own words coming back to him said he � � by jove i got it cried n a desert drama he s trying to speak english is as near as he can get to egyptian he has served in the egyptian under he was taken prisoner when was destroyed and had to turn to save his skin how s that the colonel said a few words of and received a reply but two of the closed up and the negro quickened his pace and left them you are quite right said the colonel the fellow is friendly to us and would rather fight for the than for the i don t know that he can do us any good but i ve been in worse holes than this and come out right side up after all we are not out of reach of pursuit and won t be for another forty eight hours calculated the matter out in his slow deliberate fashion it was about twelve that we were on the rock said he they would become alarmed aboard the steamer if we did not appear at two a desert drama yes the colonel interrupted that was to be our lunch hour i remember saying that when i came back i would have oh lord it s best not to think about it the was a sleepy old continued but i have absolute confidence in the and decision of my wife she would insist upon an immediate alarm being given suppose they started back at two thirty they should be at by three since the journey is down stream how long did they say that it took to turn out the corps give them an hour and another hour to get them across the river they would be at the rock and pick up the tracks by six o clock after that it is a clear race we are only four hours ahead and some of these beasts are very spent we may be saved yet some of us may i don t expect to see the alive to morrow nor miss either they are not made for this sort of thing either of them then again we must n a desert drama not forget that these people have a trick of their prisoners when they think that there is a chance of a rescue see here in case you get back and i don t there s a matter of a that i want you to set right for me they rode on with their shoulders inclined to each other deep in the details of 