Burning Sands Part 19

"Yes," he replied, without a smile. "You'd better add that."

As she was writing he turned to the man who was holding her horse, and gave him his instructions; then, having handed him the note, he sent him galloping off.

"Now what?" asked Muriel. Unaccountably, her heart was beating fast.

"Now take your coat off, and come and help," he said.

For a moment she hesitated, and a sensation very much like fear took hold of her; but, recollecting that he was nothing more than her father's new diplomatic Secretary, she gave herself up to the enticement of the free and sparkling desert.

"Come on then," she answered; "let's get at it." And pulling off her long white linen coat, she tossed it aside, with her gloves and crop, and rolled up the sleeves of her silk s.h.i.+rt.

Daniel looked gravely at her as she stood before him in her well-cut white breeches and brown top-boots; and for the first time Muriel could see admiration in his eyes. She was feeling reckless, and her boyish costume did not disconcert her: she was quite aware that her figure had nothing of that ungainliness about the hips and knees which so often makes the hunting-field a place of mirth.

He wisely offered no comment upon her appearance, much as he liked the graceful freedom and vigour which it suggested; and together they hastened over to the camels, Muriel pretending, as they went, to spit on her hands.

For a couple of hours they worked with the Bedouin: erecting the tents at the foot of the spur of rock; laying down the gra.s.s mats over the level floors of sand; unpacking the kitchen utensils, the enamel jugs and basins, the plates and dishes; setting up the camp bed and collapsible tables and chairs; arranging the books in the portable bookcase; and folding up the towels and blankets in the useful camel-boxes, or lockers, of which there was a good supply.

Muriel threw herself into the work with energy; and indeed she thought it one of the best games she had ever played. She hastened to and fro, laden with pots and pans; she crawled about on her hands and knees, banging away at doubtful pegs, or scooping up the sand around the skirting of the tents; she sorted out and arranged the tins and bottles of food and drink; and she helped to heap up stones and sand to make a sort of kennel for the dogs.

Her labours gave her little time for conversation, and indeed a great part of Daniel's remarks had the nature of somewhat peremptory orders and instructions. When she dropped a gla.s.s bottle of jam, and smashed it, he scolded her not altogether in jest; and she was quite relieved to find that he did not make her lick it up, but, on the contrary, took care that she did not cut her fingers. And when she tripped over one of the tent-ropes and fell flat on her face he actually tempered his reproofs with kindly enquiries after her general health, and dusted her down with the greatest care. Every now and then, however, they had short opportunities of exchanging their news; and she then gave him a few of the less compromising details of the recent tragedy, at which he showed genuine and undisguised distress. But she had no inclination to cast a shadow on the morning's strenuous enjoyment; and she did not linger on that sad subject.

"This is just like a game of Indians or something," she said, as she sat herself upon a packing case to rest.

"Yes," he answered, looking down at her with amus.e.m.e.nt. "That's the funny thing: life is generally lived on such rigid lines that when one comes down to actuality it seems like pretence."

He opened a tin of biscuits and a bottle of aerated water, and fetched a couple of tin mugs from the kitchen-tent; and, thus refreshed, they continued their work until midday.

By this time the camp was spick and span; and the three tents which served as dining-room, bedroom, and study, looked alluringly comfortable. They were decorated inside in the usual Arab manner, with bold designs and inscriptions cut out in bright coloured cotton-cloth st.i.tched to the canvas; and the camp-chairs of green sail-cloth, the gra.s.s matting, and the plain wooden lockers, gave an appearance of clean and cool comfort which rejoiced Daniel's heart. The kitchen, and the smaller tent which was to shelter his servant at night, both stood somewhat apart, tucked away behind a projecting arm of the rock.

"What are you going to do with your camels and men?" Muriel asked, as she stood in the sunlight, regarding her handiwork with satisfaction.

"One of the camels belongs to me," he replied, "and its duties will be to take me to and from Mena House every day, and to fetch water from the well. My servant Hussein is going to remain with me; and his brother-the lean fellow with the squint-will look after the camel. All the rest of the bunch will be off back to the desert tomorrow morning, the lucky devils."

Muriel looked at him questioningly. "Why 'lucky'?" she asked. "Are you sick of your fellow countrymen already?"

He corrected himself quickly. "No," he said; "I spoke without thought.

As a matter of fact, I'm mighty glad to be here, thanks to you."

"O, have I made any difference?" she queried, with an air of innocence.

He put his hands into his pockets, and, sucking at his pipe, regarded her thoughtfully. "Yes," he said at length, "I think you've made all the difference." And then, as though afraid that his words might be thought to bear a romantic interpretation, he added: "You've made the place look fine."

Hussein now served an excellent little luncheon consisting of particular delicacies from the store-cupboard, washed down with refres.h.i.+ng lime-juice and soda; and Muriel did full justice to the meal. When she had devoured everything within sight, like a hungry schoolgirl, she yawned loudly; and Daniel, without further question, arranged some blankets on the floor at the side of the tent, and covered them with the sheepskin from his saddle.

She stared at him anxiously. "What's that for?" she asked.

"For you to sleep on," he said. "I'm going out to see about the men, and you'd better take the opportunity for a siesta. You look half asleep already."

"I think I'd better not," she replied. "We ought to be going soon."

"Do what I tell you," he commanded, pointing to the sheepskin; and, being indeed sleepy, she obeyed without further argument.

"Comfy?" he asked, as she lay down.

"Gorgeous," she answered drowsily, and shut her eyes. When she opened them again a few moments later he had already left the tent; and, with a sigh of supreme happiness, she settled herself down to her repose.

Half an hour later Daniel looked into the tent and found her fast asleep. She was lying upon her back with her legs crossed, and one arm behind her head; and frankly he admitted to himself that she made a most delightful picture.

He went away again, and busied himself for half an hour in changing his clothes and having something of a wash. He routed out quite a respectable suit of grey flannels, and a white stock for his neck; and thus arrayed, he returned to the sleeper.

She lay now upon her side, her cheek resting on her two hands, her knees drawn up; and he confessed to himself that she looked adorable. He did not take his eyes from her for a full minute.

He went out for a walk, and surveyed with satisfaction the position which he had chosen for his camp; and it was half past three when he returned once more to Muriel.

This time she was lying on her back, with one knee raised, one arm across her breast, and the other flung out upon the floor. He sat himself down in the entrance of the tent, and lit his pipe. He did not look at her; for suddenly some door in his heart had opened, revealing a vista of thought which was new to him. The girl upon the sheepskin was no longer merely a charming picture: she was a woman sleeping in his tent after her labours in the camp. She was his companion, his mate, tired out with helping him. She was Eve, and he was Adam: and lo!-the desert was become the Garden of Paradise.

He got up from his chair with a start, and uttered an exclamation of dismay. His thoughts were riotous, mutinous, foolish: he had no business to think of her like that. He knew nothing about her-nothing, except that she did not belong truly to his system of life. Her little show of vigorous, outdoor activity was a pretence on her part, a mere experiment, a new experience filling an idle day. She was not a child of the open desert: she was a daughter of that busy, dressed up, painted old harlot, the World. Presently she would go back to her stuffy rooms and trim gardens, her dinner-parties and b.a.l.l.s, her diamonds and frocks and frills, her conventions and mockeries of life.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _A SCENE FROM THE PHOTOPLAY-BURNING SANDS_]

When he turned to her again she had opened her eyes, and was looking at him in dazed wonderment. She sat up with a start, and the colour flushed into her face. Then she threw her head back and laughed happily.

"It's nothing to laugh about," he said, gloomily. "It's nearly tea-time."

She jumped to her feet, and began arranging her hair, which was falling down. "Why didn't you wake me, man?" she asked.

"I was too busy," he replied.

He spoke roughly, and she thought he was angry with her. "I slept like a log," she said. "I'm so sorry."

"It's no good being sorry," he exclaimed. "The mischief's done."

"What d'you mean?" she asked, perplexed.

He did not answer. "I'll go and get the camels," he said. "Ever ridden a camel?"

She shook her head.

"Well, that'll wake you up all right," he laughed, and therewith left the tent.

She thought him very ungracious, after all the work she had done for him. "I suppose he wanted me to clean his boots," she muttered.

CHAPTER XIII-THE NEW LIFE