A HAKIM 295 things after having seen it done once by the white hakim; the more I think of it, the more certain I feel that you are not what you seem. I have sent for Saleh and Abdullah. They have told me what you did for them, and that you gave up your horse to them, and dressed their wounds, and brought them in here. They are full of praise of your goodness, and but few of my people would have thus acted for strangers.

They would have given them a drink of water, and ridden on. Now, tell me frankly and without fear. I have thought it over, and I feel sure that you yourself are a white hakim who escaped from the battle in which Hicks’s army was destroyed.’

I am not a hakim. All that I said was true—that although I have seen operations performed, I have never performed them myself. As to the rest, I answer you frankly, I am an Englishman. I did escape when the black Soudanese battalion surrendered three days after the battle. I was not a fighting officer ; I was with them as interpreter. I may say that though I am not a hakim, I did for some time study with the intention of becoming one, and so saw many operations performed.’

“ I am glad that you told me,’ the Emir said gravely. ‘Your people are brave and very wise, though they cannot stand against the power of the Mahdi. But were you Sheitan himself it would be nothing to me. You have saved my son’s life. You are the honoured guest of my house. Your religion is different from mine, but as you showed that you were willing to aid followers of the Prophet and the Mahdi, although they were your enemies, surely I, for whom you have done so much, may well forget that difference.’

“ ‘ I thank you, Emir ; from what I had seen of you I felt sure that my secret would be safe with you. We Christians feel no enmity against followers of Mahomet—the hatred is all on your side. And yet, ’tis strange, the Allah that you worship and the God of the Christians is one and the same. Mahomet himself had no enmity against the Christians, and