The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1900-08-03
since was child. Speak what you say

since was child. Speak what you say
again."
"Pll leave 1t to Mr.. Wenlock, your
majesty, il you've no objections, as he's
the party mostly interested. see you
don't mind smoke" he added and lit a
fresh cheroot.
Now, 1t was clear from the attitude
OF the guards and the civilians present
that Kettle was jostling heavily on
court etiquette, and at first the lady
emir was very clearly inclined to re-
sent 1t and had sharp orders for his
repression ready upon her lips. But
she evidently changed her mind. In
the meanwhile Mr.. Wenlock was stat
ing his case with small forensic elo-
quence. The sight of Miss Teresa An
derson in the flesh awed him. The
woman before him, whose actual age
was 2S, looked so and even for a des-
perate man like himself was impossi-
bic as wife In England. He felt
daunted before her already.
But the lady emir looked on Wen-
lock in very different way from that
in which she had regarded Kettle. Mr..
Wenlock possessed, as indeed he had
himself pointed out on the Parakeet,
fine outward presence, and, in fact,
anywhere he could have been remark
ed on as personable man. The lady
emir had not remained unmarried all
these years through sheer distaste for
matrimony. She had been celibate
throuph an unonnuuoro y,Io ,,r;do 80
blood. Here, now, stood before her
a male of her own race. handsome,
outstanding and obviously impressed
by her power and majesty. He would
not rule her. He would not even at
tempt a mastery. She would still be
emir-and wife. The chance had
never occurred 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 unhandily, but the purport of what
she said was plain. She made procla-
nation that the Englishman Wenlock
should there and then become her hus-
band. and let slaves fetch the mollah
to unite them before the sun had drop
ped below another bar of the windows.
She did not ask her future husbands
wishes or his permission. She simply
stated her sovereign will and looked
that 1t should be carried out forthwith.
For long enough Wenlock stood
wordless in front Of the divan, far
more like criminal than prospective
bridegroom. The lady, with the tube
of the water pipe between her lips,
puffed smoke and made no further
speech. But at last WenIock, as though
wrenching himself into wakefulness
out of some horrid dream, turned Wild
ly to Kettle and in a torrent of words
implored for rescue.
The little sailor heard him quite un.
moved. "You asked my help" he
said. ''in certain matter, and I've
given 1t. 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 un-
moved. Although she did not under
stand one word in ten of what was be-
ing spoken. she gathered the gist Of ii.
She threw away the snaky stem Of wa
ter pipe and grlpped both hands on the
troopers sword till the muscles stood
out in high relief.
do you say" she demanded. "you
unwilling marry meY'
"Yes." said Wenlock. with sullen en-
phasis.
She turned her head and gave curt
orders In Arabic. With marvellous read