THE BATTLE OF ATBABA 195 l!

j When the matter was explained to them, the women ac-[' cepted the situation with the resignation that is natural to I the Mahometan woman. Gregory was able to assure Fatma ii that in a short time she would undoubtedly be allowed to join Mahmud, and accompany him wherever he was sent.

But will they not kill him ? ” she said.

[ We never kill prisoners. Even the bitterest enemy that may fall into our hands is well treated. Mahmud will doubt-I less be sent down to Cairo, and it will then be settled where ' he is to be taken to ; but you may be sure that wherever it : may be, he will be well treated and cared for.”

“ In that case I shall be happy,” she said. When you saved me I saw that the ways of you Christians were better ij than our ways ; now I see it still more. To be always raiding, and plundering, and killing cannot be good. It used to seem to me natural and right, but I have come to think differ-: ently.”

i At four o’clock the troops marched. At Gregory’s request ! he was allowed to remain behind and accompany the Egyptians. He had bought for a few shillings from the soldiers ! a dozen donkeys that had been found alive in some of the I pits. These he handed over to Fatma for her conveyance and i that of the wives of some of the emirs, who were of the party, f The Egyptians started at half-past eight, carrying their own wounded and those of the British. By the route by which ' the army had marched the night before, the distance was but ! nine miles; but there had been some rough placed to pass, ! and to avoid these, where the wounded might have suffered from jolting, they made a circuit, thereby adding three miles I to the length of the march, and did npt reach Umdabieh camp until two o’clock in the morning. General Hunter, who I never spared himself, rode with them and acted as guide, s During the fight he. Colonel Macdonald, and Colonel Maxwell had ridden at the head of their brigades, the white regimental officers being on foot with the men, as was their custom, and it was surprising that the three conspicuous figures had all come through the storm of fire unscathed.