When I am alone, I fear Monny"s favourite _protegee_, who started out to "see the world" on a legacy of two thousand dollars, and won Miss Gilder"s admiration (and hospitality) through her una.s.suming pluck. To my mind she is the ideal adventuress of a new, unknown, and therefore deadly type; but for once I rejoiced at sight of the pallid, fragile woman, so cheerful in spite of frail health, so frank about her twenty-eight years. She had news to tell of a nature so exciting that, after a whisper or two, Cleopatra forgot Anthony in her desire to know the latest development in the Ship"s Mystery.
"My stewardess says he won"t let his wife land till we"re all off,"
murmured the ex-schoolmistress, in her colourless voice. "She heard the end of a conversation, when she carried the poor girl"s lunch to the door--just a word or two. So we shan"t see her again, I suppose."
"Oh, yes, we shall," said Monny. "If Wretched Bey can get a private boat, so can I. I"ll not desert her, if I have to stay on board the _Laconia_ the whole night."
All four began talking together eagerly, and blessing Miss Guest I sneaked away. Presently I saw that clever Neill Sheridan and handsome, actor-like Willis Bailey, the two _betes noires_ of Wretched Bey, had joined the group.
By this time the roofs and domes and minarets of Alexandria sparkled in clearly sketched outlines between sunset-sky and sea; sunset of Egypt, which divided ruby-flame of cloud, emerald dhurra, gold of desert, and sapphire waters into separate bands of colour, vivid as the stripes of a rainbow.
There was a new buzz of excitement on the decks and in the ivy draped veranda cafe. Those who had been studying Baedeker gabbled history, ancient and modern, until the conquest of Alexander and the bombardment of "82 became a hopeless jumble in the ears of the ignorant. Bores who had travelled inflicted advice on victims who had not. People told each other pointless anecdotes of "the last time I was in Egypt," while those forced to listen did so with the air of panthers waiting to pounce. A pause for breath on the part of the enemy gave the wished-for opportunity to spring into the breach with an adventure of their own.
We took an Arab pilot on board--the first Arab ever seen by the ladies of my party--and before the red torch of sunset had burned down to dusky purple, tenders like big, black turtles were swimming out to the _Laconia_. We slaves of the Rose, however, had surrendered all personal interest in these objects. The word of Miss Gilder had gone forth, and, unless Rechid Bey changed his mind at the last minute, we were all to lurk in ambush until he appeared with his wife. Then, somehow, Monny was to s.n.a.t.c.h her chance for a word with the Ship"s Mystery; and whatever happened, none of us were to stir until it had been s.n.a.t.c.hed.
Arguments, even from Biddy, were of no avail, and mine were silenced by cold permission to go away by myself if I chose. It was terrible, it was wicked to talk of people making their own beds and then lying in them. It was nonsense to say that, even if the wife of Rechid Bey asked for help, we could do nothing. Of course, we would do something! If the girl wanted to be saved, she should be saved, if Monny had to act alone. Whatever happened, Mr. Sheridan and Mr. Bailey must remain in the background, as the very sight of them would drive "Wretched Bey"
_wild!_
I was thinking of Anthony"s surprise when one after the other, two tenders should reach the quay without me; and if the Gilded Rose had not been so sweet, her youthful c.o.c.ksureness would have made me yearn to slap her. In spite of all, however, the girl"s excitement became contagious as pa.s.sengers crowded down the gangway and Rechid Bey did not appear.
"Allah--Allah!" cried the boatman and the Arab porters as they hauled huge trunks off the ship onto a float. Then one after the other the two tenders puffed away, packed from stem to stern. A few people for whom there was no room embarked in small boats manned by jabbering Arabs.
Two of these c.o.c.kle-sh.e.l.ls still moved up and down under the black, mountainous side of the ship, and the officer whose duty it was to see the pa.s.sengers off was visibly restless. He wanted to know if my lordship was ready; and my lordship"s brain was straining after an excuse for further delay, when a man and woman arrived opportunely; Rechid Bey and a veiled, m.u.f.fled form hooked to his arm; a slender, appealing little figure: and through the veil I fancied that I caught a gleam of large, wistful, anxious eyes.
The ladies were lying in wait out of sight, and I dodged behind the st.u.r.dy blue shoulders guarding the gangway. This was my first glimpse of the Ship"s Mystery; and though I did not like my job (I had to surprise Rechid Bey and take his mind off his wife) my curiosity was p.r.i.c.ked. The figure in sealskin looked very girlish; the veiled head was bowed. The mystery took on human personality for me, and Monny Gilder was no longer obstinate; she was a loyal friend. I did not see that we could be of use to the poor little fool who had married a Turk, yet I was suddenly ready to do what I could. As Rechid Bey brought his wife to the top of the gangway, I lounged out, and spoke. Disconcerted, the stout, good-looking man of thirty let drop the arm of the girl, putting her behind him. And this was what Monny wanted. They would have an instant for a few disjointed words: Monny might perhaps have time to promise help which the girl dared not ask, even behind her husband"s back.
"Good evening," I said in French, taking advantage of a smoke-room acquaintance. "Is that smart boat down there for you? I was trying to secure it, in my best Arabic, but the fellow said it was engaged."
"Yes, it is mine," Rechid answered, civilly, trying to hide his annoyance. "I telegraphed from Naples to a friend in Alexandria to send me a private boat. I do not like crowds."
"Neither do I, so I waited, too," I explained. "They told me there were always boats, and my big luggage has gone. I suppose yours has, too?"
"No doubt," said Rechid Bey. "Good night, Milord Borrow."
He turned quickly to his wife, as if to catch her at something, but the slim veiled mystery stood meekly awaiting his will. To my intense relief Monny and her friends were invisible. I could hardly wait until the two figures had pa.s.sed out of sight down the gangway, to know whether my skirmishing attack had been successful.
"Well?" I asked, as Miss Gilder, "Mrs. Jones," Cleopatra, Rachel Guest, and two maids filed out from concealment. "Did I give you time enough?
Did you get the chance you wanted?"
"Yes, thank you ever so much," said Monny, with one of those dazzling smiles that would make her a beauty even if she were not the favourite Sunday supplement heiress. "I counted on you--and _she_ had counted on me. She must have known I wouldn"t fail her, for she had this bit of paper ready. When I jumped out she slipped it into my hand. We didn"t need to say a word, and Wretched Bey has no idea I came near her."
"A bit of paper?" I echoed, with interest. For it sounded the obvious secret thing; a bit of paper stealthily slid from hand to hand.
"Yes, with her address on it--nothing more in writing: but two other words, p.r.i.c.ked with a pin. "_Save me._" Don"t you see, if her husband had pounced on it, no harm would have been done. He wouldn"t have noticed the pin-p.r.i.c.ks, as a woman would. I thought she was going to live in Cairo, and I believe she thought so too, at first. But she"s written down the name of a house in a place called Asiut. Did you ever hear of such a town, Lord Ernest?"
"Oh, yes," said I. "The Nile boats stop there and people see tombs and mummied cats and buy silver shawls."
"Good!" said Monny. "_My_ boat shall stop there, but not only for tombs or cats or silver shawls. I have an idea that the poor girl is frightened, and wants me to help her escape."
"Great heavens!" I exclaimed. "You mustn"t on any account get mixed up in an adventure of that sort! Remember, this is Egypt----"
"I don"t care," said Monny, "if it"s the moon."
She believed that this settled the matter. I believed the exact opposite. But I left it at that, for the moment, as the boat was waiting, and Asiut seemed a long way off.
This was my first lesson in what Brigit called "Monny"s little ways"; but the second lesson was on the heels of the first.
CHAPTER III
A DISAPPOINTMENT AND A DRAGOMAN
It was a blow not to see Anthony on the quay. And other blows rained thick and fast. My two consolations were that I was actually in Egypt; and that in the confusion Rechid Bey with the veiled figure of his silent bride had slipped away without further incidents. Their disappearance was regretted by no one save Monny, unless it was Neill Sheridan, and he was discreet enough to keep his feelings to himself.
The girl was not. She protested on principle, although she had the Asiut address. But where all men, black and brown and white, were yelling with the whole force of their lungs, and pitching and tossing luggage (mostly the wrong luggage) with all the force of their arms, n.o.body heard or cared what she said. For once Monny Gilder was disregarded by a crowd of men. This could happen only at the departure of a boat train! But if I was not thinking about her, I was thinking about her fifteen trunks, and Cleopatra"s sixteen and Biddy"s and Miss Guest"s two. The maids were worse than useless, and I had no valet. I have never had a valet. I clawed, I fought, I wrestled in an arena where it was impossible to tell the wild beasts from the martyrs. I rescued small bags from under big boxes, and dashed off with a few samples to the train, in order to secure places. All other able-bodied men, including Sheridan and the artist sculptor Bailey, were engaged in the same pursuit, and our plan was to "bag" a whole compartment between us in the boat-special for Cairo. But we never met again till we reached our destination. One expects Egypt to warm the heart with its weather, but the cold was bitter; so was the disappointment about Anthony. Both cut through me like knives. Darkness had fallen before I was ready to join the ladies--if I could. In pa.s.sing earlier, I had shouted to the maids where to find the places, grabbed with difficulty, for their mistresses. Whether they had found them, or whether any of the party still existed, was the next question; and it was settled only as the train began to move. The compartment I had selected was boiling over with a South American president and his effects; but as I stood transfixed by this transformation scene, Cleopatra"s maid hailed me from the end of the corridor. _Les quatres dames_ were in the restaurant car. Why? Ah, it was the Arab they had engaged as dragoman, who had advised the change in milord"s absence. He said it would be better, as of course they would want dinner. He himself was looking after the small _baggages_, except the little sacks of the hand which the maids kept.
What, the ladies had engaged a dragoman! And they had trusted him--a stranger--with luggage? Then it was as good as gone! But no, mildly ventured Cleopatra"s handmaiden. The dragoman came recommended. He had a letter from a friend of milord.
My thoughts jumped, of course, to Anthony. Yet how could he have known that I was travelling with ladies? And if by some Marconian miracle he had heard, why should he, who prided himself on "not bothering" with women, trouble to provide a dragoman at Alexandria?
I hurried to the dining car, and found Monny with her satellites seated at a table, three of them looking as calmly innocent as if they had not upset my well-laid scheme for their comfort. Biddy alone had a guilty air, because, perhaps, I was more important in her eyes than in the eyes of the others. "Oh, dear Duffer," she began to wheedle me: "We hope you don"t mind our coming here? We thought it a good idea, for we"re starving, although we"re perfectly happy because we"re in Egypt, and because it"s such a _quaint_ train, so different and Eastern. The dragoman who----"
"I think he came from your friend Anthony with an "H,"" Cleopatra broke in. "He seemed providential. And he speaks English. The only objection is, he"s not as good-looking as Monny and I wanted our dragoman to be.
We did hope to get one who would be _becoming_ to us, you see, and give the right sort of Eastern background. But I suppose one can"t have _everything!_ And it was I who said your friend Anthony"s messenger must be engaged even if his face is--is--rather like an _accident!_"
"It"s like a catastrophe," remarked Monny, looking as if she blamed me.
"Where _is_ it?" I wanted to know.
"It"s waiting in a vestibule outside where the cook"s cooking," Biddy explained ungrammatically. "I told it you"d want to see it. And it"s got a letter for you from some one." "Did the fellow say the letter was from Fenton?" I inquired.
"No. He only said, from a friend who"d expected to meet you; and Mrs.
East was sure it must be from the one you were talking about."
Wasting no more words, I marched off to the fountainhead for information. Near the open door of the infinitesimal kitchen stood a fat little dark man with a broken nose, and one white eye. The other eye, as if to make up, was singularly, repellently intelligent. It fixed itself upon me, as I approached, with eager questioning which melted into ingratiating politeness. Instinct warned the fellow that I was the person he awaited. At the same moment, instinct was busily whispering to me that there was something fishy about him, despite the alleged letter. He did not look the type of man Fenton would recommend.
And though his face was of an unwholesome olive tint, and he wore a tarbush, and a galabeah as long as a dressing-gown, under his short European coat, I was sure he was not of Arab or Egyptian blood.
"Milord Borrow?" he began, displaying large white teeth, of which he was evidently proud.
I a.s.sented.
"My name is Bedr el Gemaly," he introduced himself. "I have a letter for milord."
"Who gave it to you?" I challenged him.
The ingratiating smile seemed to flicker like a candle flame in a sudden puff of wind. "A friend of my, a dragoman. He could not come to bring it. So he give it to me. The gentleman"s name was Fenton. My friend, he was sent from him at Cairo." As the fellow spoke, in fairly good English, he took from a pocket of the short coat which spoiled his costume, a colourful silk handkerchief. Unwrapping this, he produced an envelope. It was addressed to me in the handwriting of Fenton, but before opening it I went on with my catechism.
"Then the letter doesn"t introduce you, but your friend?"