Page:Marion Crawford - Khaled.djvu/79

 'Will you love me better if I stay?'

'If you go now, you may fail in your purpose and perish as well. How could I love you at all then?'

'It is the victory you love then—not me?'

'Could I love defeat? Nay, do not be angry with me. Stay here at least until the evening. Think of the burning sun and the raging thirst and the smarting of your wounds which have only been dressed this first time. Think of the soldiers, too'

'They can bear what I can bear. Was it not summer-time when the Prophet went out against the Romans?'

'I do not know. Stay with me, Khaled.'

'I will come back when I have destroyed the Shammars.'

'And if the soldiers will not go with you, will you indeed go out alone?'

'Yes. I will go alone. When they see that they will follow me. They are not foxes. They are brave men.'

Khaled rose and girt his sword about him. Zehowah helped him, seeing that she could not persuade him to stay.

'Farewell,' he said, shortly, and without so much as touching her hand he turned and went out. She followed him to the door of the room and stood watching as he went away.

'One of us two was to rule,' she said to herself, 'and