Henry Milner Rideout

“ No one in the roll-call of memory answered to the description; no one in all Egypt, save Laura and her aunt, knew that Scarlett was to pass even through that part of the world; and he was puzzled not a little. When the days lagged by, however, and brought no news of the stranger, Owen gave up the matter as a mistake.
The interval of waiting passed pleasantly. Now that Chao Phya, stripped to his intrinsic worth, could be immured or left with servants like any common cat, he had ceased to be a clog and burden. ”

“ I am overjoyed to think that you are bringing back old Chao Phya. You cannot imagine our surprise when you went plunging down the gang-plank to rescue him.... Aunt Julia still thinks that every one had gone mad after the cat. We are both consumed to hear what it was all about, and why they locked you up and chased you, and whether they killed that poor wretched Borkman, and what your despatch means by 'Collar had ruby, now lost.' I have invented wild romances to explain it all. ”

“ At this lively coal-bin by the great ditch, where night and day, to the click of backgammon men and the thin strains of café violins, the chattering races of all continents continents smoked and drank in a clutter of pistachio shells, he hailed more than one familiar white-clad figure that passed, lonely and bored, with rolling gait, through the feathery shade of the acacias. ”

“ I've thought either you had it or the goldsmith's clerk."
"Think again," said Borkman, satirically. "When you saw Ho Kong cutting me up there in the carriage-way, I'd just come from bribing the cat out of the servants' quarters. There wasn't light enough or time enough for me to unlock the collar or cut it off. As for the goldsmith coolie, he hopped out of those bushes and knifed me like winking. The beastly cat jumped straight out of my arms into yours. Well?"
"I didn't know that," said Owen. "That makes it more of a puzzle than ever." He recounted briefly his dealings in Singapore. ”

“ As midnight was now past, the intruder could have had choice of the four hours since dinner. For his pains he had got little enough: he had left all of Scarlett's few valuables, but taken his revolver and cartridges, and—strangest of all—had cut in two every cake of soap in the room, had poured into the basin a pint of excellent brandy, had flayed half the leather from the flask itself, and torn to shreds every one of fifty fat, black Indian cigars. It seemed the mischief of an ape or a madman.
He reported to a sleepy Arab, received his vain protestations, and was soon in bed. ”

“ Scarlett?" he said, with the voice of Borkman. "Good-morning."
The surprise brought also a presentiment of disaster. Owen stared, incapable of speech.
"One's beard does make a difference, doesn't it?" said the other, affably. "But I see you know my voice. No way of shaving that off, is there? Unfortunate, because the further west of Suez we go, the more persons know me whom I'm not anxious to meet again. ”