But the engineer never meddled with the affairs of others where his honor or humanity was not concerned.

He passed above them.

If Herat as we are told, is the key of Central Asia, it mattered little to him if it was kept in an English or Muscovite pocket.

Terrestrial interests were nothing to him who had made the air his domain.
Besides, the country soon disappeared in one of those sandstorms which are so frequent in these regions.

The wind called the "tebbad" bears along the seeds of fever in the impalpable dust it raises in its passage.