Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-08


arms held at his sides. Sometimes he came
furtively in the night. creeping stealthily for
ward in the shadows of the trees and standing
for hours in the heart of some miniature wilder
ness, watching, watching. for something that
would further rend his heart; but nothing
came.
NOW in all this time there had been but one
person of the household other than the
workmen admitted to the little paradise She
was fierce and gnarled crone who had been
nurse to the Berber girl, and then when given
her freedom had chung to her to daughter.
When FL Hasan took to his couch the descend
ant of the Berber sheiks, this freed woman had
remained with the girl to whom she was half
mother and wholly slave. A wild. untamed
creature she was. who bowed neither head nor
knee to Ell Hasan and haughtily held her way.
being tolerated to the extent that at all times
she had entrance to her mistress and to the
most sequestered parts of the palace. When
the first break came into the harmony OF these
two lives she comforted the Princess; but be-
came person of mystery passing out into
the night. slipping here and there with noiseless
feet. and terrifying the others of the house by
her unexpected appearances: but she said
nothing to the girl or so 1t IS believed and tried
only to unravel the mystery. She alone saw
the end. and took part.
She was awakened by noise without one
morning when the dawn was just breaking and
before the sleepers of the city had aroused. and
Crept from her rug to avoid disturbing the har-
raised and mourning girl who had dropped to
sleep with the child in her arms. and slipped
out among the trees beside the fountain which
was aimlessy pouring out its continual song.
She stared through the foliage and Ell
Hasan coming in. His face was lined by
tortures. He was clad in festal raiment which
he must have worn the night before. a burnoose
of silk with broad black and yellow stripes and
held by great diamond clasps. his legs incased
in flowing folds whose golden embroidery
sagged heavily. and his feet shod in flexible
boots whose ornaments of precious gems
would ransom a petty Province. His hands
were clenched his lips compressed and his eyes
rowing like storm driven birds before furious
wind.
He paused as if uncertain whether to enter
the sanctuary he had built for the woman of
his heart or to seek farther along the paths. and
then. looking upward. gave start and stared
at the farther wall for long. long time.
though wondering at some unanticipated
thing. Quite slowly. like in dread. he
little house with its insensate white columns
and then retraced his steps to the door leading
into the private garden.
frightened by his actions. the Berber crone
held her yashmak across her face with trem-
bling hands and peered out after him. He
walked to and fro inside the door. and present
a slave brought long light ladder. which he
would have carried within but Ell Hasan for
bade He geStured to the man to lay it beside
the wall. and imperiously told the slave to
for few minutes beside it with his arms at
rest. and then picked it up. He of
great strength and came balancing it on his
shoulder through the broad paths looking
neither to the right nor to the left. but with his
eyes fixed blankly ahead like a man who is
walking to his doom.
HE went to the far end and planted it
against the wall. raising it slowly and deter
minedly and then testing it to see if its base
was secure. He gave a swirl to his brilliant
burnoose until it was wrapped round his shout
ders leaving his legs free. and then mounted it
to the very top of the high wall where he
paused for an instant staring intently before
him. then reached out. whipped poniard from
his grdle. slashed at something. and descended
with it in his hands. He stopped when his feet
touched the ground and turned the thing over
and over. now looking above. now at the mar
BILE house behind the fountain. and now at the
cold unfeeling skies. That which he held was
a weatherbeaten rope ladder. neatly rolled.
which had rested fiat on top of the wall.
He threw it down and turned fercely
toward the paths again. his heels striking the
gravel and his face iercely despairing He
half walked. half ran. to the gate. his garments
huttering out behind on the course of his fight
He battered on the closed door with both fists
and ordered the slaves to bring his other wife
without delay. and they. affrighted at his man.
ner. returned almost instantly with the bride
who had never been recognized He waved the
slaves back. and when the door was shut seized
the covering woman by the wrist and. half