"Well, well?" she asked.
"He was standing with his face to the wall, the light came from the
alley behind him. He did not turn, but out of the corner of his eye he
could see a fold of a white robe hanging motionless. He carefully
secured the package, with a care indeed and a composure which astonished
him even at that moment. The shock had strung him to a concentration and
lucidity of thought unknown to him till then. His fingers were
trembling, he remarked, as he tied the knots, but it was with
excitement, and an excitement which did not flurry. His mind worked
rapidly, but quite coolly, quite deliberately. He came to a perfectly
definite conclusion as to what he must do. Every faculty which he
possessed was extraordinarily clear, and at the same time
extraordinarily still. He had his knife in his hand, he faced about
suddenly and ran. There were two men waiting. Feversham ran at the man
who held the lantern. He was aware of the point of a spear, he ducked
and beat it aside with his left arm, he leaped forward and struck with
his right. The Arab fell at his feet; the lantern was extinguished.
Feversham sprang across the white-robed body and ran eastward, toward
the open desert.
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