“Tellmethestory，Barbara，“saidAlan，“andtellitbriefly，forI
cannotbearmuchmoreofthis。“
Shelookedathimandbeganinaslow，evenvoice:
“Afteryouhadgone，dear，thingswentonasusualforamonthortwo。
ThencamethegreatSaharaCompanytrouble。Firsttherewererumoursandthesharesbegantogodown。Myuncleboughttheminbytensandhundredsofthousands，toholdupthemarket，becausehewasbeingthreatened，butofcoursehedidnotknowthenthatLordAylward——forIforgottotellyou，hehadbecomealordsomehow——wassecretlyoneoftheprincipalsellers，lethimdenyitifhecan。AtlasttheOttomanGovernment，throughtheEnglishambassador，publisheditsrepudiationoftheconcession，whichitseemswasaforgery，actuallyexecutedorobtainedinConstantinoplebymyuncle。Well，therewasafearfulsmash。Writsweretakenoutagainstmyuncle，butbeforetheycouldbeserved，hediedsuddenlyofheartdisease。IwaswithhimatthetimeandhekeptsayinghesawthatgoldmaskwhichJeekiecallsBonsa，thethingyoutookbacktoAfrica。Hehadafinefuneral，forwhathehaddonewasnotpubliclyknown，andwhenhiswillwasopenedIfoundthathehadleftmehisfortune，butmadeLordAylwardtheremytrusteeuntilIcametothefullageoftwenty-fiveundermyfather’swill。Alan，don’tforcemetotellyouwhatsortofaguardianhewastome；alsotherewasnofortune，ithadallgone；
alsoIhadvery，verylittleleft，foralmostallmyownmoneyhadgonetoo。InhisdespairhehadforgedpaperstogetitinordertosupportthoseSaharaSyndicateshares。StillImanagedtoborrowabout￡2000fromthatlittlelawyeroutofthe￡5000thatremaintome，anindependentsumwhichhewasunabletotouch，and，Alan，withitI
cametofindyou。
“Alan，LordAylwardfollowedme；althougheverybodyelsewasruined，heremainedrich，veryveryrich，theysay，andhisfancywastomarryme，alsoIthinkitwasnotcomfortableforhiminEngland。Itisalongtale，butIgotupherewithaboutfive-and-twentyservants，andSnell，mymaid，whomyouremember。Thenwewerebothtakenillwithsomedreadfulfeverandhaditnotbeenforthosegoodblackpeople，I
shouldhavedied，forIhavebeenverysick，Alan。ButtheynursedmeandIrecovered；itwaspoorSnellwhodied，theyburiedherafewdaysago。Ithoughtthatshewouldlive，butshehadarelapse。NextLordAylwardappearedwithtwelvesoldiersandsomeporterswho，I
believe，haverunawaynow，——oh！youcanguess，youcanguess。Hewantedmypeopletocarrymeawaysomewhere，tothecoast，Isuppose，buttheywerefaithfultomeandwouldnot。Thenhesethissoldiersontomaltreatthem。Theyshotseveralofthemandfloggedthemoneveryopportunity；theywerefloggingoneofthemjustnow，Iheardthem。Well，thepoormenmademeunderstandthattheycouldbearitnolongerandmustdowhathetoldthem。
“Andso，Alan，asIwasquitehopelessandhelpless，Imadeupmymindtokillmyself，hopingthatGodwouldforgivemeandthatIshouldfindyousomewhere，perhapsaftersleepingawhile，foritwasbettertodiethantobegivenintothepower——ofthatman。IthoughtthathewascomingformejustnowandIwasabouttodoit，butitwasyouinstead，Alan，/you/，andonlyjustintime。Thatisallthestory，andIhopeyouwillnotthinkthatIhaveactedveryfoolishly，butI
diditforthebest。IfyouonlyknewwhatIhavesuffered，Alan，whatIhavegonethroughinonewayandanother，Iamsurethatyouwouldnotjudgemeharshly；alsoIkeptdreamingthatyouwereintroubleandwantedmetocometoyou，andofcourseIknewwhereyouweregoneandhadthatmap。Sendhimaway，Alan，forIamstillsoweakandI
cannotbearthesightofhisface。Ifyoukneweverything，youwouldunderstand。“
AlanturnedonAylwardandinacold，quietvoiceaskedhimwhathehadtosaytothisstory。
“Ihavetosay，MajorVernon，thatitisaclevermixtureoftruthandfalsehood。Itistruethatyourcousin，Champers-Haswell，hasbeenprovedguiltyofsomeveryshamefulconduct。Forinstanceitappearsthathedidforge，orrathercausetobeforgedthatFirmanfromtheSultan，althoughIknewnothingofthisuntilitwaspubliclyrepudiated。ItisalsotruethatfearingexposureheentirelylosthisheadandspentnotonlyhisowngreatfortunebutthatofMissChampersalso，intryingtosupportSaharashares。IadmitalsothatI
soldmanyhundredsofthousandsofthosesharesintheordinaryway，havingmadeupmymindtoretirefrombusinesswhenIwasraisedtothepeerage。Iadmitfurther，whatyouknewbefore，thatIwasattachedtoMissChampersandwishedtomarryher。WhyshouldInot，especiallyasIhadagooddealtooffertoaladywhohasbeenprovedtobealmostwithoutfortune？
“FortherestshesetoutsecretlyonthismadjourneytoAfrica，whitherbothmydutyashertrusteeandmyaffectionpromptedmetofollowher。Ifoundherhererecoveringfromanillness，andsinceshehasdweltuponthepoint，inself-defenceImusttellyouthatwhateverhastakenplacebetweenus，hasbeenwithherfullconsentandencouragement。OfcourseIalludeonlytothoseaffectionateamenitieswhicharecommonbetweenpeoplewhopurposetomarryassoonasopportunitymayoffer。“
AtthisdeclarationpoorBarbaragaspedandleanedbackagainstherpillow。Alanstoodsilent，thoughhislipsturnedwhite，whileJeekiethrusthisbigheadthroughthetentopeningandstaredupwards。
“Whatareyoulookingat，Jeekie？“askedAlanirritably。
“Seemtowantair，Major，alsolooktoseeifcloudstumble。Believeparticklerbigliedothatsometimes。Pleasegoon，OgoodLord，forJeekiewanthisbreakfast。“
“AsregardstheexecutionoftwoofMissChampers’bearersandthefloggingofsomeothers，thesepunishmentswereinflictedformutiny，“
wentonAylward。“Itwasobviouslynecessarythatsheshouldbemovedbacktothecoast，butIfoundoutthattheyweretryingtodesertherinabodyandtotamperwithmyownservants，andsowasobligedtotakestrongmeasures。“
“Surethosecloudscomedownnow，“soliloquizedJeekie，“orleastsomethingrummyhappen。“
“Ihaveonlytoadd，MajorVernon，thatunlessyoumakeawaywithmefirst，asIdaresayyouwill，assoonaswereachcivilizationagainI
shallproceedagainstyouandthisfellowforthecold-bloodedmurderofmymen，inpunishmentofwhichIhopeyettolivetoseeyouhanged。Meanwhile，IhavemuchpleasureinreleasingMissChampersfromherengagementtomewhich，whatevershemayhavesaidtoyouinEngland，shewasgladenoughtoenteronhereinAfrica，acountryofwhichIhavebeentoldtheclimatefrequentlydeterioratesthemoralcharacter。“
“Hear，hear！“ejaculatedJeekie，“hesaysomethingtrueatlast；byaccident，Ithink，likepigwhatfindpearlinmuck-heap。“
“Holdyourtongue，Jeekie，“saidAlan。“Idonotintendtokillyou，LordAylward，ortodoyouanyharm——“
“NorIneither，“brokeinJeekie，“allIdotomyLordjustformyLord’sgood；whoJeekiethathewishtohurtnobleBritish’ristocrat？“
“ButIdointendthatitshallbeimpossiblethatMissChampersshouldbeforcedtolistentomoreofyourinsults，“wentonAlan，“andtomakesurethatyourgundoesnotgooffagainasitdidthismorning。
So，LordAylward，untilwehavesettledwhatwearegoingtodo，I
mustkeepyouunderarrest。Takehimtohistent，Jeekie，andputaguardoverhim。“
“Yes，Major，certainly，Major。Rightturn，march！myLord，andquick，please，sincepoor，commonJeekienotwantdirtyhisblackfingertouchingyou。“
Aylwardobeyed，butatthedoorofthetentswungroundandfavouredAlanwithaveryevillook。
“Luckiswithyouforthemoment，MajorVernon，“hesaid，“butifyouarewiseyouwillrememberthatyouneverhavebeenandneverwillbemymatch。Itwillturnagain，Ihavenodoubt，andthenyoumaylooktoyourself，forIwarnyouIamabadenemy。“
Alandidnotanswer，butforthefirsttimeBarbarasprangtoherfeetandspoke。
“Youmeanthatyouareabadman，LordAylward，andacowardtoo，orotherwiseyouwouldnothavetorturedmeasyouhavedone。Well，whenitseemedimpossiblethatIshouldescapefromyouexceptinoneway，IwassavedbyanotherwayofwhichIneverdreamed。NowItellyouthatIdonotfearyouanymore。ButIthink，“sheaddedslowly，“thatyouwoulddowelltofearforyourself。Idon’tknowwhy，butitcomesintomymindthatthoughneitherAlannorIshallliftafingeragainstyou，youhaveagreatdealofwhichtobeafraid。RememberwhatIsaidtoyoumonthsagowhenyouwereangrybecauseIwouldnotmarryyou。Ibelieveitisallcomingtrue，LordAylward。“
ThenBarbaraturnedherbackuponhim，andthatwasthelasttimethateithersheorAlaneversawhisface。
Hewasgone，andBarbara，herheaduponherlover’sshoulderandhersweeteyesfilledwithtearsofjoyandgratitude，wasbeginningtotellhimeverythingthathadbefallenherwhensuddenlytheyheardaloudcoughoutsidethetent。
“It’sthatconfoundedJeekie，“saidAlan，andhecalledtohimtocomein。
“What’sthematternow？“heaskedcrossly。
“Breakfast，Major。Hislordshipgotplentygoodstores，borrowsomefromhimandgivehimchit。Cominginoneminute——hotcoffee，kipperherring，rasherbacon，alsobutterbestDanish，andBathOliverbiscuit。“
“Verywell，“saidAlan，butJeekiedidnotmove。
“Verywell，“repeatedAlan。
“No，Major，notverywell，veryill。Thoughtthoseliesbringdownclouds。“
“Whatdoyoumean，Jeekie？“
“Mean，Major，thatAsikismellingaboutthiscamp。Porter-manwhatgotofetchwaterseethem。Alsobelievetheycatchrestofthosesoldierchapsandpolishthem，forporter-manheartherow。“