304 WITH KITCHENER IN THE SOUDAN “ ‘ So be it,’ he said. ‘ It is your will, not mine.’ Khatim came to me afterwards and .advised me to stay, but I said that it might be years before I had another chance to escape, and that whatever risk there was I would prefer running it. “ Then we shall see you no more,’ he said, for Khartoum will assuredly fall and you will be killed.’

If you were a prisoner in the hands of the white soldiers, Emir,’ I said, ‘I am sure that you would run any risk if there was a chance of getting home again. So it is with me.

I have a wife and child in Cairo. Her heart must be sick with pain at the thought of my death. I will risk anything to get back as soon as possible. If I reach Khartoum and it is afterwards captured, I can disguise myself and appear as I now am, hide for a while, and then find out where Abu is and join him again. But perhaps when he sees that no further resistance can be made. General Gordon will embark on one of his steamers and go down the river, knowing that it would be better for the people of the town that the Mahdi should enter without opposition, in which case you would scarcely do harm to the peaceful portion of the population, or to the troops who had laid down their arms.’

««yery well,’ the Emir said. ‘Abu has told me that he has tried to dissuade you, but that you will go. We owe you a great debt of gratitude for all that you have done for us, and therefore I will not try to dissuade you. I trust Allah will protect you.’

“ And so we started 4:he next morning. I rode by the side of Abu, and as all knew that I was the hakim who had taken ofi his arm, none wondered. The journey was made without any incident worth recording. Abu did not hurry. We made a long march between each of the wells, and then halted for a day. So we journeyed until we made our last halt before arriving at Omdurman. “‘You are still determined to go?’ Abu said to me. “ ‘ I shall leave to-night, my friend.’ “ ‘ I shall not forget aU that you have told me about your