His description was almost
precisely what Mouni's had been, and there was no doubt that the place
where she had lived with the beautiful lady was the place of which he
spoke. But of the lady herself they could learn nothing. The Caid had no
information to give concerning Ben Halim's family.
He pressed them to stay, and see all the beauties of the oasis. He would
introduce them to the marabout at El Hamel, and in the evening they
should see a special dance of the Ouled Nails. But they made excuses
that they must get on, and bade the Caid good-bye after an hour's talk.
As for the _gazelle approvoisee_, Nevill named her Josette, and hired an
Arab to take her to Algiers by the diligence, with explicit instructions
as to food and milk.
Swarms of locusts flew into their faces, and fell into the car, or were
burned to death in the radiator, as they sped along the road towards the
white house on the golden hill. They started from Bou-Saada at ten
o'clock, and though the road was far from good, and they were not always
sure of the way, the noon heat was scarcely at its height when Stephen
said: "There it is! That must be the hill and the white wall with the
towers."
"Yes, there's the cemetery too," answered Nevill. "We're seeing it on
our left side, as we go, I hope that doesn't mean we're in for bad
luck."
"Rot!" said Stephen, promptly. Yet for all his scorn of Nevill's
grotesque superstitions, he was not in a confident mood.
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