Tess’s back ached and she was dizzy, but her own powers had been tested many a time; this was not more than double the strain she had withstood before, and she was aware of strength in reserve, to say nothing of conviction that what Yasmini’s maids could do she herself would rather perish than fall short of.  There is an element of sheer, pugnacious, unchristian human pride that is said to damn, while it saves the best of us at times.

“Certainly not!  I can carry on all day!” she answered.

Yasmini emitted her golden bell-like laugh that expressed such immeasurable understanding and delight in all she understands. (It has overtones that tell of vision beyond the ken of folk who build on mud.)

“The maids shall knead your muscles for you at the other end,” she answered.  “Courage is good!  You are my sister!  You shall see things that the West knows nothing of!  If those thrice-misbegotten Takers of Tenths had not seen us, we would have reached our goal a little after midday.  As it is, they have certainly signaled to another party of Gungadhura’s spawn somewhere ahead of us, who will be coming this way with eyes open and a lesson in mind for those who disregard their comrades’ challenge to halt and be looted!  When I am maharanee there shall be a new system of protecting desert roads!  But I dare not try conclusions now.  We must take a wide circuit and not reach our destination until night falls.  Are you willing?”

“Ready for anything!” said Tess.  “If I weaken, tie me on the camel!”

“Good!  So speaks a woman!  One woman of spirit is the master of a dozen men—­always.

They all drank sparingly of tepid water, ate a little of the food each had, and were off again without letting the camels kneel—­heading now away from the hills toward a dazzling waste of silver sand, across which the eyes lost all sense of perspective, and all power to separate three objects in a row; a land of mirage and monotony, glittering in places with the aching white of salt deposits.

The heat increased, but the speed never slackened for an instant.  Flies emerged from everywhere to fasten on to unprotected skin, and the only relief from them was under the hot cloaks that burned them with the heat absorbed from sun and wind.  But even in that ghastly wilderness there were other living things.  Now and then a lean leopard stole away from in front of them; and once they saw a man, naked and thinner than a rake, striding along a ridge on heaven knew what errand.  There were scorpions everywhere.

Hour after hour, guided by desert-instinct that needs no compass, and ever alert for sky-line watchers, Yasmini and the headman took turns in giving direction, he yielding to her whenever their judgment differed.  And whether she was right or not in every instance, she brought them at last to a little desert oasis, where there was brackish water deep down in a sand-hole, and a great rock offered shadow to rest in.