It seemed to him
suddenly that the burnous he wore exercised a stifling effect on him.
He threw it off, and it fell unheeded to the loose stones at his feet.
The girl laughed again, somewhat tremulously.
"What of those nasty creatures against which you warned me a moment
ago?" she exclaimed. "Or is it that your disguise has become
unbearable? You make an astonishingly tall Arab, Mr. Royson. I should
have picked you out anywhere."
That wayward heart of Dick's drove a hot flood of color to his face,
but he still held mastery over his tongue.
"Why do you think I am likely to run into danger?" he asked. For an
instant his calmness misled her. She had grown accustomed to his habit
of self-restraint, and looked for nothing else.
"Because you would dare anything rather than fail," she said. "You
would ride alone into the midst of a thousand enemies if you thought
that thereby you could attain your ends. And I want to assure you that
I--that Mr. Fenshawe--would object most strenuously to your incurring
any real peril for the sake of the worthless people who have brought us
to Africa on a wild-goose chase.
Pages:
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347