Presently he rose to his feet, and at once became businesslike and practical. He took the patient’s temperature; dexterously pinned the native shawl about him; arranged the pillows under his head; opened a bottle of meat-extract and administered a little of its contents; and, sending for milk and eggs, made Muriel go out on the rickety landing to beat up the eggs into the milk.
When she returned with the beverage she found that he and Ibrahîm had fastened grass matting across the windows to check the glare of the sun, and now were standing in the subdued light talking in quiet cheerful tones to the sick man.
Presently Daniel turned to her. “I think the best thing you can do,” he said, “is to sit beside him and fan away the flies when you see them bothering him.”
He handed her a fly-whisk, and placed a small stool beside the couch; and here she sat herself, while her patient closed his eyes and drowsed in some degree of comfort.
They went back to the house for luncheon, and during the meal Daniel told her of the troubles which might ensue in the Oasis if the Sheikh were to die. He spoke of the feud between the sick man’s family and that of their rivals; and he explained how Sheikh Ali desired to be succeeded in his office as headman by his son Ibrahîm, and that there was a danger of the other party taking advantage of the absence of so many of the Sheikh’s adherents, who had gone to El Khargeh.
“If Sheikh Ali dies,” he pointed out, “the other faction may carry out a coup, and establish their candidate in power while all these men are away. That would be a disaster; for the man they wish to set up is a crook, if ever there was one. He would be just the sort of fellow to play into Benifett Bindane’s hands and sell himself to the Company.”
“But,” said Muriel in surprise, “aren’t you in favour of this Company?”
“No,” he answered. “I have come to the conclusion that it is not in the best interests of the natives. They are happier as they are, for their products are sufficient to their needs, and are pretty evenly distributed. I don’t trust these Stock Exchange fellows: they’ll exploit the Oasis to fill their own pockets. That’s what I’m going to tell your father when I get back to Cairo.”
“Poor Mr. Bindane!” Muriel smiled. “He has set his heart on this business.”
In the afternoon they returned to the sick-room, where she made herself very useful, and showed a remarkable aptitude for nursing; and the sun was setting before they came back to the house once more. Muriel was very tired by now, and as soon as the evening meal was over Daniel advised her to go to bed.