Queen Sheba's Ring
Down the pass we went and through the various gates of thefortifications, which were thrown open as we came and closed behind us.We did not linger on that journey. Why should we when our guards wereanxious to be rid of us and we of them? Indeed, so soon as the last gatewas behind us, either from fear of the Fung or because they were in ahurry to return to share in the festivities of the approaching marriage,suddenly the Abati wheeled round, bade us farewell with a parting curse,and left us to our own devices.
So, having roped the camels into a long line, we went on alone, trulythankful to be rid of them, and praying, every one of us, that neverin this world or the next might we see the face or hear the voice ofanother Abati.
We emerged on to the plain at the spot where months before we had heldour conference with Barung, Sultan of the Fung, and where poor Quick hadforced his camel on to Joshua's horse and dismounted that hero. Here wepaused awhile to arrange our little caravan and arm ourselves withthe rifles, revolvers, and cartridges which until now we had not beenallowed to touch.
There were but four of us to manage the long train of camels, so we wereobliged to separate. Higgs and I went ahead, since I was best acquaintedwith the desert and the road, Oliver took the central station, andRoderick brought up the rear, because he was very keen of sight andhearing and from his long familiarity with them, knew how to drivecamels that showed signs of obstinacy or a wish to turn.
On our right lay the great city of Harmac. We noted that it seemed to bequite deserted. There, rebuilt now, frowned the gateway through which wehad escaped from the Fung after we had blown so many of them to pieces,but beneath it none passed in or out. The town was empty, and althoughthey were dead ripe the rich crops had not yet been reaped. Apparentlythe Fung people had now left the land.
Now we were opposite to the valley of Harmac, and saw that the hugesphinx still sat there as it had done for unknown thousands of years.Only its head was gone, for that had "moved to Mur," and in its neckand shoulders appeared great clefts, caused by the terrific force of theexplosion. Moreover, no sound came from the enclosures where the sacredlions used to be. Doubtless every one of them was dead.
"Don't you think," suggested Higgs, whose archaeological zeal wasrekindling fast, "that we might spare half-an-hour to go up the valleyand have a look at Harmac from the outside? Of course, both Roderick andI are thoroughly acquainted with his inside, and the den of lions, andso forth, but I would give a great deal just to study the rest of himand take a few measurements. You know one must camp somewhere, and if wecan't find the camera, at dawn one might make a sketch."
"Are you mad?" I asked by way of answer, and Higgs collapsed, but tothis hour he has never forgiven me.
We looked our last upon Harmac, the god whose glory we had destroyed,and went on swiftly till darkness overtook us almost opposite to thatruined village where Shadrach had tried to poison the hound Pharaoh,which afterwards tore out his throat. Here we unloaded the camels, nolight task, and camped, for near this spot there was water and a patchof maize on which the beasts could feed.
Before the light quite faded Roderick rode forward for a little way toreconnoitre, and presently returned announcing shortly that he had seenno one. So we ate of the food with which the Abati had provided us, notwithout fear lest it should be poisoned, and then held a council of war.
The question was whether we should take the old road toward Egypt, ornow that the swamps were dry, strike up northward by the other route ofwhich Shadrach had told us. According to the map this should be shorter,and Higgs advocated it strongly, as I discovered afterwards because hethought there might be more archaeological remains in that direction.
I, on the other hand, was in favour of following the road we knew,which, although long and very wearisome, was comparatively safe, as inthat vast desert there were few people to attack us, while Oliver, ourcaptain, listened to all we had to say, and reserved his opinion.
Presently, however, the question was settled for us by Roderick, whoremarked that if we travelled to the north we should probably fall inwith the Fung. I asked what he meant, and he replied that when he madehis reconnaissance an hour or so before, although it was true that hehad seen no one, not a thousand yards from where we sat he had comeacross the track of a great army. This army, from various indications,he felt sure was that of Barung, which had passed there within twelvehours.
"Perhaps my wife with them, so I no want to go that way, father," headded with sincere simplicity.
"Where could they be travelling?" I asked.
"Don't know," he answered, "but think they go round to attack Mur fromother side, or perhaps to find new land to north."
"We will stick to the old road," said Oliver briefly. "Like Roderick Ihave had enough of all the inhabitants of this country. Now let us restawhile; we need it."
About two o'clock we were up again and before it was dawn on thefollowing morning we had loaded our camels and were on the road. By thefirst faint light we saw that what Roderick had told us was true. Wewere crossing the track of an army of many thousand men who had passedthere recently with laden camels and horses. Moreover, those men wereFung, for we picked up some articles that could have belonged to noother people, such as a head-dress that had been lost or thrown away,and an arrow that had fallen from a quiver.
However, we saw nothing of them, and, travelling fast, to our greatrelief by midday reached the river Ebur, which we crossed withoutdifficulty, for it was now low. That night we camped in the forest-landsbeyond, having all the afternoon marched up the rising ground at thefoot of which ran the river.
Toward dawn Higgs, whose turn it was to watch the camels, came and wokeme.
"Sorry to disturb you, old fellow," he said, "but there is a mostcurious sky effect behind us which I thought you might like to see."
I rose and looked. In the clear, starlight night I could just discernthe mighty outline of the mountains of Mur. Above them the firmament wassuffused with a strange red glow. I formed my own conclusion at once,but only said:
"Let us go to tell Orme," and led the way to where he had lain downunder a tree.
He was not sleeping; indeed, I do not think he had closed his eyes allnight, the night of Maqueda's marriage. On the contrary, he was standingon a little knoll staring at the distant mountains and the glow abovethem.
"Mur is on fire," he said solemnly. "Oh, my God, Mur is on fire!" andturning he walked away.
Just then Roderick joined us.
"Fung got into Mur," he said, "and now cut throat of all Abati. We wellout of that, but pig Joshua have very warm wedding feast, because Barunghate Joshua who try to catch him not fairly, which he never forget;often talk of it."
"Poor Maqueda!" I said to Higgs, "what will happen to her?"
"I don't know," he answered, "but although once, like everybody else,I adored that girl, really as a matter of justice she deserves all shegets, the false-hearted little wretch. Still it is true," he added,relenting, "she gave us very good camels, to say nothing of theirloads."
But I only repeated, "Poor Maqueda!"