The cold, damp wind chilled us to the bone, enervated as we were with the heat of the desert.
But these discomforts, and they were serious enough, we forgot in the tremendous issue of the enterprise.

Should we win through to Mur?
Or, as a crown to our many labours and sufferings, should we perish presently on the road?
That was the question; as I can assure the reader, one that we found very urgent and interesting.
Three hours had gone by.

Now we were opposite to the lights of Harmac, also to other lights that shone up a valley in the mountain to our right.

As yet everything was well; for this we knew by the words whispered up and down the line.
Then of a sudden, in front of us a light flashed, although as yet it was a long way off.

Next came another whispered message of "Halt!" So we halted, and presently one of the front guides crept back, informing us that a body of Fung cavalry had appeared upon the road ahead.