"Who is he?" asked Ishmael.
"Your Rani's servant," replied the Arab woman, with a curl of her cruel lip. "He left Khartoum for Cairo a month ago and has not been seen until to-day."
Another deep groan came from the people at the tent's mouth, and again it seemed to Helena that every eye, except Ishmael's, was looking into her face.
Meantime Mosie, thinking the groan of the people was meant for him, and that his life was in danger from their anger, had broken away from the woman's grasp and flung himself at Ishmael's feet, crying—
"Mercy, O Master! I kiss your feet. I take refuge with God and with you. Save me, and I will tell you every thing."
Ishmael, who by this time had regained his self-command, motioned to the Arab woman to stand back. Then he questioned the boy calmly, and the boy answered him in a fever of fear, gasping and sobbing at every word.
"My boy, you have come out of Cairo?"
"Yes, O Master, yes."
"You went there from Khartoum?"
"Yes, yes, O Master, yes."