"The money, it is in Egypt?" queried Mahommed, whose idea was that money
to be real must be seen. "Something that's as handy and as marketable,"
answered Lacey. "I can raise half a million to-morrow; and that will do
a lot of what we want. How long will it take to ride to the monastery?"

Mahommed told him.

Lacey was about to leave the room, when he heard a voice outside.
"Nahoum!" he said, and sat down again on the divan. "He has come to see
the Saadat, I suppose; but it'll do him good to see me, perhaps. Open
the sluices, Mahommed."

Yes, Nahoum would be glad to see the effendi, since Claridge Pasha was
not in Cairo. When would Claridge Pasha return? If, then, the effendi
expected to see the Saadat before his return to Cairo, perhaps he would
convey a message. He could not urge his presence on the Saadat, since he
had not been honoured with any communication since yesterday.

"Well, that's good-mannered, anyhow, pasha," said Lacey with cheerful
nonchalance. "People don't always know when they're wanted or not
wanted."

Nahoum looked at him guardedly, sighed and sat down. "Things have grown
worse since yesterday," he said. "Prince Kaid received the news badly."
He shook his head. "He has not the gift of perfect friendship. That is
a Christian characteristic; the Muslim does not possess it. It was too
strong to last, maybe--my poor beloved friend, the Saadat."

"Oh, it will last all right," rejoined Lacey coolly. "Prince Kaid has
got a touch of jaundice, I guess. He knows a thing when he finds it,