The prayer finished, they resumed their seat in the shadow of the boulder until the child fell asleep, nestling upon the broad breast of her protector.

He watched over her slumber for some time, but Nature proved to be too strong for him.

For three days and three nights he had allowed himself neither rest nor repose.

Slowly the eyelids drooped over the tired eyes, and the head sunk lower and lower upon the breast, until the man's grizzled beard was mixed with the gold tresses of his companion, and both slept the same deep and dreamless slumber.
Had the wanderer remained awake for another half hour a strange sight would have met his eyes.

Far away on the extreme verge of the alkali plain there rose up a little spray of dust, very slight at first, and hardly to be distinguished from the mists of the distance, but gradually growing higher and broader until it formed a solid, well-defined cloud.
This cloud continued to increase in size until it became evident that it could only be raised by a great multitude of moving creatures.