I dare say the lady we are with could tell us something about it." "Her powers are not limitless!" said Rivardi--"She is only a woman after all!" Gaspard said no more, and there followed a silence,--a silence all the more tense and deep because of the amazing swiftness with which the "White Eagle" kept its steady level flight, making no sound despite the rapidity of its movement.

Very gradually the darkness of night lifted, as it were, one corner of its sable curtain to show a grey peep-hole of dawn, and soon it became apparent that the ship was already far away from the mysterious land of Egypt--"The land shadowing with wings"-- and was flying over the sea.

There was something terrific in the complete noiselessness with which it sped through the air, and Rivardi, though now he had a good grip on his nerves, hardly dared allow himself to think of the adventurous business on which he was engaged.

A certain sense of pride and triumph filled him, to realise that he had been selected from many applicants for the post he occupied--and yet with all his satisfaction there went a lurking spirit of envy and disappointed ambition.

If he could win Morgana's love--if he could make the strange elfin creature with all her genius and inventive ability his own,--why then!--what then?
He would share in her fame,--aye, more than share it, since it is the way of the world to give its honour to no woman whose life is connected with that of a man.