“Mine!” he said gently, then laughed softly as he looked at the men and camels lying as though dead, and, with the touch of perversity which came, perhaps, from the mixing of the blood in his veins, bent and laid Zarah in Ralph Trenchard’s arms just as he regained his senses and, struggling to his knees, lifted her out of pure solicitude against his shoulder. There was nothing, however, to tell her that his arms had been placed about her simply out of anxiety for her well-being and not in love, so that when she opened her eyes and looked up into his handsome face, bent down so near her own, she naturally concluded that the game was almost won.
She looked at Al-Asad with eyes devoid of expression, but got to her feet at the smile in his and sat down upon the camel nearest to her.
“Kick them, Al-Asad, all of them, men and beasts, to see if there are any alive,” she said curtly, anxious to be rid of him, and sat and indifferently watched the efforts of men and camels as they struggled back to life, and merely nodded at the Nubian when he reported that one man and two dromedaries would not respond to his drubbing.
She had fought for her men’s lives when danger threatened, but rather for the love of gaining a victory over so dire a foe than for any anxiety she felt for them, and now, thirsty, hungry, alive but uncomfortable, she did not care one piastre if they or the camels struggled back to life or remained where they were to die. She wanted to get back to her own dwelling; she wanted to ride there alone with the white man who had held her in his arms, at least, so she thought, sheltering her from death; she frowned as the men swayed drunkenly upon their feet, laughing stupidly as they staggered amongst the camels.
“Asad!” she cried sharply, showing how little she understood of the white man’s character by so shamelessly exposing her want of pity and consideration for others. “Bring two camels, thine for our guest and yon for me. Thou canst return with one or two or more of thy brethren upon one hejeen, clustered like bees about a honey-pot if——”
She stopped and got to her feet and laid her hand on Ralph Trenchard’s arm.
“Camels!” she said briefly.
There was no sound, neither was there anything in the desert to be seen.
“I think you’re mistaken,” replied Ralph Trenchard. He spoke tersely, his admiration for the girl’s courage suddenly turned to a great dislike through her callous behaviour towards the visibly suffering men. “By Jove! you’re right, though!”
Headed by Yussuf, with “His Eyes” pillion-wise behind him, fifty men mounted on camels and leading fifty more camels suddenly appeared out of the shadows in the far distance.