Evening star., 1899-02-04

into human heads in various stages of des-
location. Wenlock stared at the gate with
it's dressing of heads, as though they fas-
cinated him.
And Teresa will have been brought up
within sight of all this, Wenlock murmur-
ed to himself. land will be accustomed to
It, Fancy marrying a woman who has
spent twentyfour years of her life in the
neighborhood of all this savagery"
They passed in through the gate, the SEN
tries staring at them cqriousy. and once
inside in the full heat and smell of the mar
row street beyond Wenlock said: Look
here skipper, you're reseurceful, and you
know these out-of-the-way places. How
had we better start to find the girl?''
Kettle glanced coolly round at the grim
buildings and the savage Arabs who jostled
them and said with fine sarcasm: well
sir, if you'll take the tip from me- youth
crowd back to my steamboat as fast as you
can go. You'n find it healthier
I'm going on with it." said Wenlock
doggedly ''And 1 ask you to earn your
ESQ and give me help.
Then, if you distinctly ask me to help
YOU on into trouble like that of course the
best thing to do is to so straight on to the
palace
"Show the way" said Wenlock. curtly.
Kettle gave the word to the white-robed
pilot. and together they set off down the
narrow winding streets, with an ever-in-
creasing train of Arabs and negroes follow
ing in their wake. Wenlock said nothing
as he walked. but it was evident from the
working of his face that his mind was very
full. But Kettle looked about him with
open interest. and thoughts in verse about
this eastern town came to him with pleas
ant readiness.
The royal residence was the large build
ing encir ctured with gardens which they
had seen from the sea, and they entered
with little formaity. There was no trouble,
either, about obtaining an audience. Armed
guards to the number of some forty
men were posted round the walls. and at
the further end. apparently belonging to
tl,a twill la nt thar
men sQuatted on the floor In the center
of the room was a naked wretch in chains,
but sentence was hurriedly pronounced on
him. and he was hustled away as the two
Englishmen entered, and they found them
selves face to face with the only woman in
the room, the supreme ruler of this savage
South Arabian coast town
She was seated on a raised divan. prop
ped by cushions, and in front of her was a
huge water pipe. at which she occasionally
took a meditative pull. She was dressed
quite in oriental fashion. in trousers, zouave
jacket sash and all the rest of it, but she
was Enthusiastically English in features,
though strongly suggestive Of the Boadicea.
She was a large heavily boned woman.
enormously covered with flesh, and she
6antiled across her knees that very unfem-
mime scepter, an English cavalryman's
sword. But the eye neglected these details,
and was irresstably drawn by the strong
ness of her face. Even Kettle was almost
awed by it.
But Capt Owen Kettle was not a man
who could be kept in awe for long. He
took off his helmet. marched briskly up to-
ward the divan and bowed
Good afternoon your ladyship," he said.
Il trust l see you well I'm Capt Kettle,
master of that steamboat now lying in your
roads, and this is MIR. Wenlock a passen-
ger of mine. who heard that you were Eng
lish, and has come to put you in the way of
some property at home.
The lady sat more upright. Il am Eng
lish," she said Il was called in the gaiour
faith Teresa Anderson.
That's the name said Kettle. Mr.
Wenlocks come to take you away to step
into a. nice thing at home"
II am emir here. Am | asked to be emir
in your country?'
why. no." said Kettle THAT jobs filed
already, and aren't thinking of making
a change. Our present emir in England
(who, by the way, is a lady like YOURSELF
seems to suit us very we'll"
Il do not understand said the woman.
Il have not spoke your language since L
was a child Speak what you say again.
"I'll leave 1t to Mr.. WenlOck, your majes-
ty, if you'v no objections. as hes the par
ty mostly interested. / see you don't mind
smoke" he added and lit fresh cheroot.
Now it was clear from the attitude of
the guards and the civilians present that
Kettle was jostling heavily on court eti-
quette and at first the lady emir was very
clearly inclined to resent ii, and had sharp
orders for his repression ready upon her
lips But she evidently changed her mind.
In the meanwhile Mr.. WenlOck was stating
his case with small forensic eloquence. The
sight of Miss Teresa Anderson in the flesh
awed him. The woman before him, whosa
actual age was twenty-eight, looked fifty.
and even for a desperate man like himself
was impossible a wife in England. H.
felt daunted before her already.
But the Lady Emir looked on Wenlock
in very different way to that in which
she had regarded Kettle. Mr. Wenlock
possessed (as indeed he had himself pointed
out on the. ParakeeD a fine outward pres
been remarked on as persOnable mar
The Lady Emir had not remained unmar
ried all these years through sheer distaste
for matrimony. She had been celibate
through an unconquerable pride of blood.
Here now stood before her a male of he,
own race, handsome, outstanding and obvr
ously impressed by her power and majest.-
He would not rule her; he would not even
attempt mastery; she would still be emir
and a wife The chance had never Oc-
CURED to her before; might never occur
again. She was quick to make her decision.
Ruling potentates are not as other folk
with their love affairs, and the Lady Emir
of Dunkhot uncOnsciously fell in with the
rule of her caste. The English speech, long
disuSed, came to her unhandly, but the
purport of what she said was plain. She
made proclamation that the EngliShman
Wenlock should there and then become her
husband, and let slaves fetch the mullah
to unite them before the sun had dropped
below another bar of the windows.
She did not ask her future husbands )
wishes or his permission. She simply stated
her sovereign VIII, and looked that IL should
be carried out forthwith
For long enough Wenlock stood in front
OF the diVan, far more like a criminal than
a prospective bridegroom. The lady with
the tube OF the water pipe between her lips
puifed smoke and made no further speech.
But at last Wenlock, as though wrenchinS
himself into wakefulness out of some horrid
dream, turned wildly to Kettle, and in
torrent of words impiored for rescue.
The little sailor heard him quite unmoved.
You asked my help. he sa d, in certain
matter and I've given it, and things have
turned out just as I've guessed they would.
You maundered about your dear Teresa on
my steamboat till | was nearly sick, and,
by James, you've got her now, and no error
about it
Now, the Lady Emir was not listening
TO all this TRADE by any means unmoHed.
Although she did not understand one word
IN ten OF what was being spoken, she gath
cred the gist of it. She threw away the
Snaky stem of water pipe and gripped both
hands on the troopers sword till the mus
cles stood out in high relief
DO You say" she demanded, you un-
willing marry me?"
Yes said Wenlock with sullen empha-
sis.
She turned her head and gave curt orders