We have
perhaps an hour in which to decide and arrange everything. After that,
his coming may be announced to me. And no harm would happen to the
child. The master would suffer in his mind for a short time, till he
decided to make terms, that is all. As for me, have no fear of my
betraying thee. Thou needst but revenge thyself by letting the master
know how I plotted for the stealing of his boy, for him to put me out of
his heart and house forever. Then I should have to kill myself with a
knife, or with poison; and I am young and happy, and do not desire to
die yet. Go now, and tell thy sister what I have said. Let her answer
for thee, for she knows this land and the people of it, and she is wiser
than thou."
Without another word or look at the beautiful pagan face, Victoria went
out of the room, and found Hadda waiting to hurry her away.
XLVI
It was after one o'clock when Stephen and Nevill bade each other good
night, after a stroll out of the town into the desert. They had built up
plans and torn them down again, and no satisfactory decision had been
reached, for both feared that, if they attempted to threaten the
marabout with their knowledge of his past, he would defy them to do
their worst. Without Saidee and Victoria, they could bring forward no
definite and visible proof that the great marabout, Sidi El Hadj
Mohammed Abd el Kadr, and the disgraced Captain Cassim ben Halim were
one.
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