With a lace veil over her head, concealing her face, with the
sable-trimmed cloak wrapped close about her, she slipped from the hotel
without being recognised, and down to the quay.

Almost uncanny is the intuitive power of the native.

Without hesitation, a boatman stepped forward and salaamed to the
ground before her.

"By the sign of the Hawk-headed Harakat."

He repeated the phrase his master had taught him, and which he had
repeated over and over again for many days.

And Damaris never once looked back as the boat crossed the blue-green
Nile, which, for all she knew, would stretch forever, an impassable
barrier, between herself and those she loved.

Acting as in a dream, she could never clearly recall what happened
until she stood at the Gate of To-morrow. She had a vague recollection
of crossing the great river, and of being helped out of the boat, and
of four gigantic Nubians who stood near a litter and salaamed as she
approached; she remembered, too, that the litter was lined and hung
with satin curtains and piled with satin cushions, and that she had
been carried some distance at a gentle trot which had in no wise
disturbed her.

Then it had been gently placed upon the ground, and she had been handed
out, to find the _sayis_ of the stallion Sooltan standing salaaming
before her, with his hand on the bridle of the snow-white mare, Pi-Kay,