|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 92
At last the way entered a narrow defile among the rocky hills, and a
sharp curve led them finally out upon the other side, looking down
into green fields, as straight and trim as a checker board in their
varying tints, and off over the far Nile. The fertile lands were
wide here, and fed with broad canals that offered the surprise of
boats' white wings between the fields of grain. Not far ahead,
before the desert sands reached that magic green rose a group of
palms, and near them some mud houses and a pigeon tower.
"Breakfast," said Billy triumphantly, and gaily they rode down on
the sleeping village.
* * * * *
Back toward the Libyan hills runs the canal El-Souhagich, and as it
curves to the north a reach of sand sweeps down from the higher
ground, interrupting the succession of green fields. Several jagged
rocks have tumbled from the limestone plateaus above and increased
the grateful bit of shade which the half dozen picturesque palms do
not sufficiently bestow.
Here the runaways breakfasted upon the roast pigeon, dates and
tangerines they had bought from the curious villagers, and here
Billy, his back against a rock, was smoking a meditative cigar over
the situation. Beside him, tied to a palm, knelt the camels, and
before him, nibbling a last tangerine, Arlee was sitting.
"We have to rest the beasts a bit." This from Billy, suggestive of
a conscience pricking at this holiday delay. "And then----"
"Then--?" echoed Arlee cheerfully.
"Then, what in the world am I going to do with you?"
"With me?"
"Yes. It's simple enough, I suppose, getting back to the city---but
if you don't want your friends to know----"
The quick shadow in her eyes distressed him. "I _don't_," she cried
sharply. "At first--I might have made a lark out of it--but
afterwards.... No, I don't want to go explaining and explaining
forever and ever. Can't I just reappear?"
"You can reappear from Alexandria," he said. "He, himself," his tone
changed as he reluctantly brought Kerissen into the beauty of that
morning, "has arranged it very neatly for you. You can just have
been camping in the desert--and true enough that is!--with those
friends of yours whom the Evershams don't know. Only your
reappearance has to be--managed a bit."
Very carefully she tore the tangerine skin into very little bits,
her head bent over it. Then she flung the fragments far from her
with a gesture of rebellion. "I hate fibs," she said explosively.
And then, "But I hate explanations more!" She hesitated, stealing a
quick glance under her lashes at his frowning face.
"And some people," she stammered, "might--might
not--understand--they would feel that--some people would----"
"Some people are great fools, undoubtedly," Billy promptly agreed.
But back of the some people he saw Falconer in her mind, and
Falconer's instinctive distaste of all strangeness and sensation.
"I have a perfect right to keep it from--them," she went on
argumentatively, and then with an upward glance, "Haven't I?"
"Good Lord, yes! It was your adventure; it doesn't concern another
soul in this wide world."
"You know," said Arlee, locking and unlocking her fingers, "you
know, some people wouldn't take it all for granted the way--you
do.... And it was very horrid."
"It's over," said he crisply, "except I'd like to pound him to a
jelly."
"I couldn't bear to _speak_ of him before," said the girl, "but now
it seems all far away and nightmarish.... And I'd like to tell you
how it was--a little."
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|