The story is structured around a detailed timeline, following the characters Gordon and Hawkston over several days as they travel across the desert. The synopsis begins at midnight on the first night, with both Gordon and Hawkston leaving a place called el-Azem. Their journeys progress in parallel but are marked by distinct developments.

On the first day, both men make their way across the desert, moving at different paces. By dusk, Hawkston reaches the first well, but Gordon continues moving through the desert without stopping. As the second night falls, both are still on the move.

By the second day’s end, Gordon's camel is shot, forcing him to continue on foot, while Hawkston remains mounted. On the third day, at dawn, Gordon reaches the Well of Amir Khan, which he should have arrived at earlier had his camel not been killed. Hawkston, meanwhile, reaches the third well but is attacked by tribesmen from the Ruweila tribe. He becomes besieged at Khosru Well by the Arabs, while Gordon pushes onward toward Jebel El Khour on foot.

At dusk on the third day, Gordon reaches El Khour, having traveled continuously despite the loss of his camel, while Hawkston remains besieged at Khosru Well. On the fourth night, Gordon rests at El Khour, but Hawkston, after escaping the siege, begins riding toward El Khour.

On the fourth day, Hawkston arrives at El Khour, with Shalan ibn Mansour, a key figure from the attacking tribe, closely pursuing him. The pursuit culminates in a standoff, with both characters finally reaching the same destination but under vastly different circumstances.

The synopsis provides intricate detail about the characters' movement and the impact of environmental and external factors, such as the shooting of Gordon's camel and Hawkston's encounter with the Ruweila tribesmen. Each day of the journey is marked by a relentless focus on the struggle for survival in a hostile environment.