At length, the Egyptian government announced to the wives of the officers that pensions would be given to them, according to the rank of their husbands.

As captain and interpreter, Gregory's wife had but a small one, but it was sufficient for her to live upon.
One by one, the other ladies gave up hope and returned to England, but Annie stayed on.

Misfortune might have befallen the army, but Gregory might have escaped in disguise.

She had, like the other ladies, put on mourning for him; for had she declared her belief that he might still be alive, she could not have applied for the pension, and this was necessary for the child's sake.

Of one thing she was determined.