CHAPTER IV.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7071, 12 April 1901, Page 4

CHAPTER IV.

! When he awoke again it was to find at his bedside a kavass from Imshi Pasha at Cairo. He shrank inwardly. The thought of Imshi Pasha merely nauseated him, but to the kavass he said 1 : " What the devil do ■ you want, Mahommed?" j The kavass smiled; his look was agree- | ably mysterious, his manner humbly confidential, his tongue officially deliberate. " Eft'endina chok yasha — May the gveat Lord live' for ever ! I bring good news." "Leave of absence, eh?" answered Flinders feebly, yet ironically ; for that was the thing he expected now of Imshi Pashi, who had played him like a ball on a racquet these three years past. The kavass handed him a huge blue envelope, salaaming impressively. " May my life be thy sacrifice, Saadat," he said, and salaamed* again. "It is my joy to be near you." '" We have tasted your absence and found it bitter, Mahommed," Flinders answered;, in kind, but with -a touch of plaintive humour, letting the envelope fall from his fingers on the bed, so little was he interested in any fresh move of Imshi Pasha. " More tricks," he- said to himself between his teeth. " Shall I open it, Saadat? It is the Avord that thy life shall carry large plumes." " What a blitherer you are, Mahommed ! Rip it open and let's . have it over," said Flinders. The kavass handed him a large letter, pedantically and rhetorically written ; ar.d Flinders, scarce glancing at it, sleepily said 1 : "Read it out, Mahommed. Skip the flummery in it, if you know how !" Two minutees later Flinders sat up in his bed aghast witih surprise — a surprise that made his heart thump painfully, made his head go round. For the letter conveyed to him the fact that there had been placed to the credit of his department, subject to his own disposal for Irrigation works, the sum of eight (hundred thousand pounds ; and appended was the copy of a letter from the Caisse de la- Dette 'granting threefourths of, this sum and authorising its expenditure. Added to all was a short scrawl from Imshi Pasha himself, beginning, "God is with the patient, my dear friend," and ending with the remarkable statement : "Inshallah, we shall now reap the reward of our labours in seeing these great works accomplished at last, in spite ©I the suffering thrust upon us by our enemies — to whom perdition come!" Eight hundred thousand! pounds ! . In a week Flinders was at work again. In another month he was at Cairo, and the night after his arrival lie attended a ball at the Khedive's Palace. To Dicky Donovan he poured out the wonder of his soul at the chance that had been given him at last. He seemed to think it was his own indomitable patience, the work that he had done, and his reports, which had at last shamed the Egyptian G-overnment and the Caisse de. k- Dette into doing the right thing for the country and to him. He was dumbfounded when Dicky replied: "Not much, my -Belisaxius. As Imshi Pasha always was, so he will be to the end.- « It wasn't Imshi Pasha. a n <* i* wasn't English influence, and it wasn't the Caisse de la Dette, each, by its lonesome, or all together- by initiative." j "What was it— who was it, then?" said F'.inders breathlessly. "Was it you — I know you'.ve worked for me ! It wasn't backsh'eesh anyhow. , But Imrfii Pasha didn't turn honest, and patriotic for nothing —I know that." Dicky, who had known him all his life, looked at him curiously for a moment, arid then, in a far-away sort of voice, monotoned drolly : " Oft I had heard of Lucy Gray, And -when I crossed the wild, I chanced to see at break of day That solitary child." Flinders gasped. "Lucy Gray!" he said falteringly. Dicky -nodded. " You didn't know, of course. She's been t here for six months —^has more influence than the whole diplomatic corps. Twists old Imshi Pasha round her little finger— doesn't hurt the finger either; makes appointments by proxy to the Caisse de la Dette — you know how such things.aire done. She has played your game handsomely — I've been in her confidence. Wordsworth was wrong when lie wrote : ' No mate, no comrade Lucy knew ; She dwelt on a wide moor: The sweetest thing that ever grew Beside a human door ' For I've been her comrade. And her mate — would you like to know Irer mate?— she's married, 'you know !" • Flinders' face was pale. He was about to reply, when a lady suddenly appeared, leaning on the arm of Fielding Pasha. At first she did not see Flinders, then within a foot or two of him she suddenly stopped. Fielding Pasha felt- her hand twitch on 'his arm ; then she clenched the fingers firmly on her fan. Fielding knew all ho had nny right to know — and more — about Lucy Gray, Imshi Pasha, the Caisse de la Dette, and Flinders. "Ah, Flinders,"' said this Pasha of many tales, "you must let me introduce you to Mrs Ashley St John." Flinders 'behaved very weU, the lady perfectly. Sho held out both her hands to him. "We are old friends, Mr Flinders and I. I have kept the next dance for him," she added, turning to Fielding, who smiled placidly and left with Dicky Donovan. For a moment there was silence, then she said quietly: "Let me congratulate you on all you" have done. Everybody is talking about you. They say it is wonderful how you have made things come your way . " . lam really very, very glad." Flinders was stubborn and indignant, and anything that a man can be who has had an' unpleasant sho2k. "I know all," he said bluntly. "I know what you've done for me." " Well, are you as sorry I did it as I am to know you know it ?" she asked just a little faintly, for she had her. own sort of heart, and" it worked in its own sort of way. "Why this sudden interest in my affairs? You laughed at me when I made up my mind to come to Egypt." "That was to your face. I sent you to Egypt." •" You sent me !" v 1 made the old General talk to you. The inspiration was mine. I also wrote to Donovan Pasha — and at last he wrote to me to come." " You — why " " I know more about irrigation than any one in England," she continued illogically. "' Ive studied it. I have all. your reports. That's why I could help you here. They s.nv I knew." Flinders shook a little. "I didn't understnixJ," he said. "You don't know my husband, I sVax." sin added, rising slowly. "He is ruling y.jj.aer with Imshi Pasha." " 1 know of him as many times millionaire," he answered, in a, tone of mingled emotions. •'I must introduce you," she said, und seenir-'l to make an effort to hold herself firniJy. '" tJe will have great power here. Cuuic ai:d ? J c me to-morrow,' 1 s=he added in an tfven \<jce. "Please come — Harry." In another minute Flinders listened to ' the great J.-nancier, Mr Ashley St John, pra-s'ng I'is ii-rigatiou schemes, aaid assurin^"hiin thiit the name of. Flinders wou'd bMor ever honoured in Egypt.