midday
It was enough that her trip was to be conducted on the back of a horse that it was a pleasure to ride and whose vagaries promised to give interest to what otherwise might have been monotonous . Some of the horses that she had seen in Biskra had been the veriest jades . She asked Mustafa Ali about the country through which they were passing , but he did not seem to have much information that was really of interest , or what seemed important to him appeared trivial to her , and he constantly brought the conversation back to Biskra , of which she was tired , or to Oran , of which she knew nothing . The arrival at a little oasis where the guide suggested that the midday halt might be made was opportune . Diana swung to the ground , and , tossing down her gloves , gave herself a shake . It was hot work riding in the burning sun and the rest would be delightful . She had a thoroughly healthy appetite , and superintended the laying out of her lunch with interest .