The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes

to show signs of a turn. At its outset it had been terrible. It had engulfed Hicks's army, swept over Gordon and Khartoum, rolled behind the British forces as they retired down the river, and fi

se haze-girt mountains, tempted by stories of gum and ivory, but none ever returned. Once a mutilated Egyptian and once a Greek woman, mad with thirst and fear, made their way to the lines. They were the only exports of that country of darkness. Sometimes

amel, and yet no one suspected it, for an unconstitutional Government has its advantages. A great administrator had argued, and managed, and cajoled; a great soldier had organised and planned, and made piastres do the work of pounds. And then one night these two master

ing pistol, and a copy of Green's Introduction to the Study of Arabic. With such a start, and the blood of youth running hot in his veins, everything seemed easy. He was a little frightened of the

e found himself in the presence of a short, thick-set officer, with a gentle voice and a placid expression which covered a remarkably acute and energetic spirit. With

the Chief isn't here to see you. G

I suppose, sir, that I should

. "You see this place. It's the Oasis of Kurkur-a little quiet, I am afraid, but excellent air. You are to get out th

intersection of two black lines, without anoth

llage

n. It's an important post, as being at the junction of two caravan routes. All rou

I presume, to p

conditions of this country to know that there is a great deal of disaffection about, and that the Khalifa is likely to try and keep in touch with his adherents. Then, again, Senoussi lives up that way"-he waved his ciga

earning

li something or other, who speaks English, and can interpret for you. Well, good-bye-I'll

me, and at last, on the third evening, from the blackened slag-heap of a hill which is called the Jebel Kurkur, Hilary Joyce looked down upon a distant clump of palms, and thought that this cool patch of green in the midst of the merciless blacks and

spot where shade is needed most. A single widespread acacia did something to restore the balance. Here Hilary Joyce slumbered in the heat, and in the cool he inspected his square-shouldered, spindle-shanked Soudanese, with their cheery black faces and their funny little pork-pie forage caps. Joyce was a martinet at drill, and

had gone on and on, stretching away into the unknown heart of Africa. The countless pads of innumerable camels through many centuries had beaten it smooth, so that now, unused and deserted, it still wound away, the strangest of r

The stranger was dressed in the flowing robes of an Arab, and not in the close-fitting khaki of a soldier. He was very tall,

from? The nearest well was a long hundred miles down the track. At any rate the frontier post of Kurkur could not afford to receive casual visitors.

de no resistance, and said nothing when the hands of two troopers clutched at his shoulders, but walked quietly between their horses into camp. Shortly afterwards the patrols came in again. There were no signs of any Dervishes. The man was a

He would love to show his capacity to the head of the Intelligence, and even more to that grim Chief who never forgot what was smart, or forgave what was slack. The prisoner's dress and bearing showed that he was of importance. Mean men do not

his Egyptian native officer at his side. He sat behind a camp-table, and the prisoner, strongly gu

, "the rascal is m

tures, but so swiftly that it might have been a ner

he is, and wh

ger made no reply, save that the same sh

pudent scoundrels! He keeps on winking at me. Who are y

again. The prisoner looked at Joyce with his inscrutable eyes, and occasionally twitched h

o get some sense out of this fellow.

we found n

e of an

g camel does not die easily. He

must get h

e that he is d

w a man look more a

nd him across

thank you. This is my bird. But how are

kirted the encampment and

i thought fit--" He looked at the p

do. No, by Jove, th

ittle mig

ul if ever it got as far as Fleet Street. But, I say," he whi

, s

eeah. Order them to put a horsesho

of amusement than of uneasiness. He never winced as the black

now?" asked the

led gently and s

llow. He knows we won't do it. But I can and I will flog him, and you tell him from me that if he hasn't found hi

s,

t, you beauty, and a good n

as imperturbable as ever, was led away by

over his prisoner's obstinacy. And then, again, he thought how shocking it would be if the man proved to be really dumb after all. The possibility shook him so that he had almost determined by daybreak that he would send the

ed, "the pris

on

s well. There is a slit cut in the tent, an

ered. The man had utterly disappeared. With a heavy heart Hilary Joyce wrote an official report of the matter and forwarded it to Assouan. Five days later there

at the General's quarters. Behind a table piled with papers and strewn with maps the famous sol

neral, "that you have allowed a very impor

sorry,

matters. Did you ascertain anyth

, s

was t

nothing out

you

I did wha

did yo

reatened to use

did he

id not

was he

her a desperate chara

hich we could

Grey eyes. And a nervous w

every English officer in this force is a picked man. I have the whole British army from which to draw. It is necessary, therefore, that I should insist upon the very

s,

l will be glad to see you fulfill

was too heavy for w

w my final decision

and turned u

you beauty, and a good nig

re had those words been used befo

f the Intelligence were laughing. Joyce stared at the t

ord!" h

u gave me a bad ten minutes with that infernal red-hot horseshoe of yours. I've done a

sir; b

ittle private business with the Kabbabish. It must be done in person. I did it, and came to yo

I begin to

time I used my false beard and Arab dress? You put me in a very awkward position. But a

ahomet

But we dine at eight, Captain Joyce. We live plainly here, but