In an incredibly short space of time Abd-ur-Rahim had been informed of the miracle that had occurred, and was on the spot, only to become more and more mystified in the course of his inquiries. That Dick was gone and Fitz had taken his place was evident, but when or how the exchange had been effected was a mystery. None of the prisoners would offer any explanation. “That is for you to find out,” was their answer to all questions, and Abd-ur-Rahim and his officers beat their brains in vain. Means, motive, and opportunity for the change alike appeared wanting, and the puzzled Ethiopians took refuge at last in the hypothesis put forward by one of their number—
“It is the magic of the doctor lady! She has changed one into the other to lead us astray and to baffle our search for the youth.”
CHAPTER XXI.
FOR A CONSIDERATION.
“I can’t go on wasting time like this,” said Georgia to herself the next morning as she stood on the terrace, drawn thither by the fascination of the distant view of Bir-ul-Malikat. “Two whole days have slipped away already, and I have not got a step nearer to discovering the antidote, nor even to communicating with Khadija. What am I to do? When those women and children came to ask for medicine yesterday, I thought it was a hopeful sign, and I suppose that if I stayed here long enough my fame might spread even as far as Bir-ul-Malikat; but what good is that when Abd-ur-Rahim won’t hear of our setting foot outside the walls? It was bad enough before, when I knew Dick would be angry if I hinted at going over to pay Khadija a visit, but I think I might have talked him round. I only wish the dear boy was here now to be angry, instead of being taken out of the way just when I had been thinking so unkindly about him. But I don’t see how Abd-ur-Rahim is to be worked upon, unless any of his own wives or children should happen to fall ill, and even then I am afraid I shouldn’t be able to persuade him to let me leave the town, if only for an hour or two. I wonder whether Rahah and I could concoct a letter to Khadija, and whether we could get it taken to her if we did? I should think we ought to be able to pique her curiosity, or perhaps her covetousness, supposing that she could read the letter when she got it. Let me see, what could we say?”
She knelt down with her arms on the parapet, and was revolving in her mind honied sentences which might cover an even more tempting meaning, and thus appeal to the witch’s cupidity, when her attention was attracted by a moving object between her and Bir-ul-Malikat. Now that the search for Dick had once more quitted the immediate neighbourhood of the fortress, the solitude of the desert was so seldom disturbed by any traveller that Georgia watched the approaching speck with interest. As it came nearer she saw that it was a man mounted on a donkey, but when it passed out of sight round the slope of the hill she thought no more about it. Presently, however, Rahah came in hot haste to seek her mistress.
“There is a messenger from Bir-ul-Malikat waiting outside the door, O my lady, and he will not give his message to me. Is he to be allowed to speak to you?”
“Oh, of course. Some one must be ill,” said Georgia, and she returned indoors and donned her burka. The man whom she had seen riding across the desert was standing in the outer hall at a suitable distance from the doorway of the passage which led into the harem, and the door was open to allow of conversation. The visitor was respectably dressed, and had the appearance of a steward or other responsible servant, but his first words were not calculated to recommend his mission, at any rate as Rahah translated them.
“O doctor lady, Khadija, the mother of Yakub, sends thee greetings, and desires thee to visit her at Bir-ul-Malikat.”
“Why?” asked Georgia. “Is she ill?”
“I know not,” answered the man, doggedly.