The paper slipped from Hester's hands, and she sank forward till her forehead rested on the sill of a window near which she sat. She knew this paragraph meant too probably a terrible and unknown death, the harrowing details of which might--nay, too surely, never would--be revealed--death to one who had loved her but too well, and thus all her soul became instinct with a tender and fearful interest in him. 'Poor Malcolm--poor Malcolm Skene!' she murmured again and again, while her face, ashy white, was hidden in her hands. Few women can fail to take a tender interest in the fate or future of any man who has been _interested_ in them. For a long time she sat still--nay, still as a statue, but for the regular and slow rising and falling of the ribbons and lace at her bosom, and the ruffling of her dark brown hair in the breeze that came through the open window, kissing her white temples and cooling her eyelids. Then she recalled her father's strange and weird story of his father's dream, vision, or presentiment, before the storming of Jhansi, where the latter fell; and thought with wonder, could such things be? She confided the letter and its contents to her bosom friend Maude; but she could not--for cogent reasons--bring herself to say a word on the subject to Roland, whose mind, however, was full enough of the newspaper report of his old friend's misfortune, or as he never doubted now--evil fate! CHAPTER XXXV. LOST IN THE DESERT. Natheless his somewhat gloomy letter to Hester Maule, Malcolm Skene, though feeling to the fullest extent the influence of the presentiment of evil therein referred to, was too young, and of too elastic a nature, not to feel also a sense of ardour, enterprise, and enthusiasm at the confidence reposed in him by his superiors. With an inherent love of adventure and a certain recklessness of spirit, he armed himself, mounted, and quitted his quarters at Cairo just when the first red rays of the morning sun were tipping with light the summit of the citadel or the apex of each distant pyramid, and rode on his solitary way--solitary all save Hassan, the swarthy Egyptian guide provided for him by the Quartermaster-General's Department. He had been chiefly selected for the duty in question--to bear despatches to the _Amir-Ali_, or Colonel, commanding the Egyptian force at Dayr-el-Syrian, in consequence of his proficiency in Arabic--the most prevailing language of the country. He and his guide were mounted on camels. Skene's was one of great beauty, if an animal so ungainly can be said to possess it, with a small head, short ears, and bending neck. Its tail was long, its hoofs small, and it was swift of action. The rider was without baggage; he wore his fighting kit of Khakee cloth and tropical helmet with a pugaree. He had his sword and revolver, with goggles, and a pocket compass for use if his guide in any way proved at fault.