She breathed a little quickly.
"Yes?" she asked. "You have brought news—of what?"
The tall man swung himself off the ladder, drew himself upright, and saluted.
"Mademoiselle, I am Sergeant Perinaud, attached to the office of the military police here. I attended M. Aylmer during our ride in pursuit of the man named Landon, who was escaping with certain desert knaves of the Beni M'Geel. We overtook them—"
"Mademoiselle, I am Sergeant Perinaud"
She interrupted with an exclamation of delight.