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gth and professional skill； being Jumana； she took advantage of his enforced helplessness to fuss over him。 By moving his chair and table from one part of the site to another； we made it possible for him to assist with the surveying； at which task he was skilled； but he spent a good deal of the time sitting still。 Watching Jumana bustle about； climbing nimbly up the hillside and dashing back down to readjust his sunshade； strained his temper considerably。 Only his equable nature and inherent good manners prevented an explosion。
One mildly disquieting incident marred the productive happiness of the next few days。 It had nothing to do with Jamil； though as the Reader may well believe； I had not forgotten him。 I did not suppose Jumana had heard from him； since I kept a close eye on her； but his very avoidance of her began to worry me。 He needed money； if only for bare subsistence。 Where was he getting it？
If it was from his friends and family in Gurneh； none of them would admit it。 A wall of silence blocked Selim's inquiries。
〃Some are speaking the truth； I think；〃 he had said。 〃But with certain others； something has frozen their tongues。 It is like the old days when the Master controlled the illegal antiquities business and all men went in fear of his wrath。〃
〃Could it be？〃 Emerson asked me； after Selim had gone on his way。
〃Impossible； Emerson。〃
〃Why？ We haven't heard from the 。 。 。 from him for weeks。 We don't know where the devil he's got to。〃
〃He would never interfere with our work； or tolerate a contemptible boy like Jamil。〃
We were seldom interrupted by visitors。 However； one morning when I was investigating a ruined chapel up on the hillside … helping Cyrus with his plan of the tombs； as I had explained to Emerson … I saw a pair of horsemen approaching。 Both were wearing the drab olive of military uniform。 I made haste to scramble down the slope in the hope of heading them off before they ventured to approach Emerson。
I was too slow； or Emerson was too quick。 When I reached them the two men had dismounted and were endeavoring to carry on a polite conversation with my husband。 They were finding it heavy going。
〃Allow me to repeat that there is nothing to see here；〃 Emerson declared； hands on hips； feet apart； and brows thunderous。 〃This is an archaeological dig； and you are interrupting my work。〃
〃But； sir 。 。 。〃 One of the officers … for so their insignia proclaimed them … turned with visible relief to me。 He was of something over medium height； his frame heavyset and his face square； particularly around the jaw。 The hair exposed when he whipped off his pith helmet； which he did immediately upon seeing me； was a nondescript shade of brown； slightly darker than his carefully trimmed mustache。
〃Mrs。 Emerson！〃 he exclaimed。 〃I dare not hope that you remember me … I had the good fortune to be introduced to you last year in Cairo； by my colleague Woolley； of the Arab Bureau。〃
〃Certainly I do； Major Cartright；〃 I replied； before Emerson could say something rude about the Arab Bureau。 〃Mr。 Woolley is an old friend。 I was very sorry to hear he had been taken prisoner by the Ottomans。〃
〃The fortunes of war； ma'am； the fortunes of war。〃
〃Stupidity and ineptitude；〃 Emerson declared。 〃Sailing up and down the coast in that distinctive yacht； trying to put agents ashore under the very noses of the Turks。 He was bound to be caught sooner or later。〃
Cartright flushed angrily； but kept his temper。 〃Yes； sir。 May I have the honor of introducing another admirer of yours … Lieutenant Algernon Chetwode。〃
I have never seen a countenance so prototypically English。 Like his hair； the brave mustache was flaxen…fair； the lashes framing his blue eyes were so pale they were almost invisible； and his cheeks were as smooth as a girl's。 They turned pink as he stuttered out a series of incoherent pliments。
〃Can't express my pleasure 。 。 。 such an honor 。 。 。〃
〃Yes； how nice；〃 I said； and since they showed no intention of going away； I added； 〃I would offer to show you around； gentlemen； but as my husband mentioned； there is nothing here that would interest you。 I presume you are on leave from Cairo？ May I suggest the Valley of the Kings or the temple of Medinet Habu； which is in that direction。〃
〃You are most kind； Mrs。 Emerson；〃 Cartright said； with a smile that showed he was well aware of my real motive。 〃We only dropped by to pay our respects。 We had hoped … that is to say … is your son with you？〃
Emerson's eyes narrowed and I felt a constriction in the region of the diaphragm。 Naturally and necessarily； Ramses's activities on behalf of the War Office had been a closely guarded secret。 Had his courageous sacrifices been generally known； he would have been a hero； since they were not； he was regarded by many of our acquaintances in Cairo as a coward and a pacifist。 （The two words being synonymous in the views of the ignorant。） There was hardly an officer in Cairo who would have spoken to him last year … and here were two of them actually seeking him out。
I might have been tempted to lie； but I could not； Ramses had seen us and was approaching。 It was not in his nature to avoid a confrontation。 Nefret had hold of his arm。 She was biting her lip； a sure sign of worry or annoyance。
If young Lieutenant Chetwode had fawned over us； he did all but genuflect before Ramses。 He paid no more attention to Nefret than courtesy demanded； which was in itself highly suspicious； most men paid attention to Nefret。
Unsmiling and posed； Ramses shook hands with both men。 〃On holiday； are you？〃 he inquired。
〃A brief holiday；〃 Cartright replied。 〃I have just got back from the Gaza front； and after I had reported to the general； he was good enough to give me a few days' leave。〃
〃I'm sure you deserved it；〃 I said politely。
〃Ha；〃 said Emerson。 〃What the devil are you people doing？ You pushed the Turks across the Egyptian border early in January； and you've been squatting outside Gaza ever since。 We need a victory in the Middle East； gentlemen； God knows the news on other fronts is bad enough。 Why isn't General Murray pushing ahead toward Jerusalem？〃
〃I'm sure you know the terrain； sir；〃 Cartright said deferentially。 Glancing at me … a mere female； who presumably knew nothing about military matters … he explained； 〃The Turks are determined to hold Gaza； the town is heavily fortified and so are the ridges that run all the way from Gaza to Beersheba。 It's a natural defensive line twenty…five miles long。 Water is one of our major problems； we have to pump it from the sweet…water canal at Suez clear across the Sinai； and the advance of the railroad has been delayed by difficult terrain。 Intelligence is dreadfully vague at the moment。 Our agents find great difficulty in getting through； and their aircraft …〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 Emerson said impatiently。 〃But the longer you delay； the more time the Turks will have to bring in reinforcements and dig more trenches。 You'll have to hit Beersheba at the same time you attack Gaza。 There's plenty of water there。〃
〃I'm sure General Murray would be interested in hearing your views； sir；〃 Cartright said。
I cleared my throat loudly； and Emerson recollected himself。 〃If he needs me to point out the obvious； his staff isn't doing its job。 Good day； gentlemen。〃
He took me firmly by the arm and stalked off； leaving the two officers no choice but to mount and depart。 〃Hell and damnation；〃 he remarked。
〃Quite；〃 said Ramses； catching us up。 〃Extraordinarily forthright； wasn't he？〃
〃Too forthright；〃 Emerson muttered。 〃Why did he tell us so much？〃
Ramses's lips tightened。 After a moment； he said； 〃There is no reason why you should remember； but Cartright was one of the three patriots with whom I had that rude encounter at the Turf Club two years ago。 He was with the Egyptian Army at the time。〃
〃The man who struck you in the face while two others held your arms？〃 I demanded indignantly。 〃Good Gad。 If I'd known that I would not have been so courteous。〃
〃No； he was one of the ones who held me；〃 Ramses corrected。 〃Something has brought about a radical change in his attitude。〃
〃We can guess what it is；〃 Emerson grunted。 〃He's with intelligence now； and someone