Some disappointed houri was returning whence she had come.

Ahmed took his time; he had no reason to hurry.

Nothing must pass which would arouse the suspicions of the guards; and haste always alarmed the Oriental.
To the colonel, however, things appeared to lag unnecessarily.

He finally lost patience and swept back the curtain despite Bruce's restraining hand.

A native mahout, who had been loitering in town that day, recognized at once the royal turban which the colonel still wore.
The colonel's face meant nothing; the turban, everything.