I suppose the well took the prophet's name in that way. Who
knows?"
Royson had learnt of late how to school his face. Long practise under
the witchery of Irene's eyes and Mrs. Haxton's ceaseless scrutiny
enabled him now to conceal the lightning flash of inspiration that
fired his intelligence. An old caravan road from the sea, a road that
led to the Nile, with its fourth stopping-place made notable by seven
tiny cones of an extinct volcano--surely that had the ring of actuality
about it! Von Kerber had confessed to altering figures and distances in
the papyrus--was this an instance?--were the "hills" they sought not
five but seven in number? What an amazing thing it would be if this
gaunt old sheikh held the clue to the burial-place of the treasure! It
must have been on the tip of his tongue ever since they met him, yet
the knowledge was withheld, solely on account of von Kerber's secretive
methods. Had he told Abdur Kad'r that he was searching for an oasis
sheltered by seven hills it was almost quite certain that the Well of
Moses would at least have been mentioned as the only locality offering
a remote resemblance to that which he sought.
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