Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-06
,CHAPTER XVI Continued

sTyTIE hours heightened while Mar'SnNF
i sat irving TO gather the remnants oi
her courage TO face Captain Gorltz wneI
ne should come TO her Ihe lu' N'9,
ie,,,, xvb,ch hung from the ceiling burned
a,m,v. casting grotesque shadows aoou'
tie room fIickering in patches Oh 'a"u'
y.wbt upon the gilt of the emoro'oereu
6.uwiprs. and touching the biades o'
4 ~. ancient weapons which decorated the
wall about the couch scimitars' s"o' VS.,
dsxRers and spears! Marishka so' UP
ana examined them more Closely cu'
ot,ely. as though she had not seen tne'i'
..enra She shuddered a little as sne
ry,,cred from its sheath small dagger
v,,&n n bronzed handle, and found 'hat
~ blade was very sharp ana orisn''
She reached up to putit back. but as she
a,,4 ~ there was a sound from the room
h.vors. the massage, and a knock upon
tha door So she slipped the weapon
into the waistband of her skirt. peneatn
her blouse, and went to her seat a''io"s
the pillows. In a moment the khoek was
repeated, and in reply to her call 'he
6oor opened and she heard footsteps
along the corridor.
The man who entered was tall and
slender, with q hooked nose neaNy
Drows. and a beard streaked with white
He wore the turhan and bright green
half which denoted the Moslem, ana tne
fingers with which he touched brow, nps,
and heart in salutation were covered
with rings. ,..ooa hov-
fna
Marishka knew no reply to this and
made none, waiting in some trepluatloii
{or him to proceed. He was viilainous-
jopkinr creature, but compcrted himsei
with an air of some dignity In mo-
ment he spoke again in excellent Ter
Il hope that Excel.ency has been able
70 make herself quite comfortable IN
A. he spoke. Marishka remembered
that this was one of the voices of htr
dreams. the gruff voice which talked
With Goritz.
Something was required of her In re-
ply. and so, with an effort; rss, ;,
'.Yes. Allah has been good to me
Yaya has a heart of gold"
.You are the Beg of Rataj?' Marishka
asked
He salaamed again.
fsWill you tell me, then, what has be-
come of Herr Hauptmann GoritzF
The mans face wore a sudden crafty
look of incomprehension.
"Goritz, Excellency?" he asked cooliy
There is no one of that name in my
acquaintance."
Warishka accepted the rebuke and
ventured timidly, Il mean the-the Ex-
brought me here
"Ah! Lieutenant Won Arnstorf! He
has gone, think, upon journey" said
Marishka was silent a moment, think
THAT is strange. 1t is very neces-
sary that l should see him"
The man smiled up at the lamp above
his head, revealing a void where teeth
should have been.
II need not say that he has directed
that everything possible shall be done
tor your comfort-and 1t Is my pleasure
- obey Excellency's orders. in so far as
NY poor house can afford. And even
Were these not Excellency's instruc-
tiens.. he added with a grin, "it is an
honor for the house of Rataj to have
honeath it's roof one so noble and so
beAutiful."
A wave of nerves swept over Marish-
Ia, for the admiration in his glance was
unmistakable, hut she knew that any
possible chance Of safety for Hugh--for
herself-lay in the favor of this man.
And 80 with a shudder of repugnance
which she concealed with difficulty. she
moti0ned to him to be seated. His small
eyes appraised her eagerly for mo-
nont, and then he sank upon cushion
naar her, and without asking permis-
sion took out cigarette.
ell shall not forget your kindness,
EfIendi," said Marishka, struggling for
her composure. Already Yeva and l
are good friends"
v aAh that is fortunate, for II was upon
the question of the future of Yeva that
! have come to talk with you. In what
msy serve you. Effendi?"
He sighed deeply.
times change, Excellency. In the
6ays gone by, the Begs of Rataj were
reckoned among the rulers of Bosnia.
high In the counsels of the Janissaries,
fetidai lords of great domains. But /,
nIas! the last of the Begs of Rataj,
whose father even held the sway of a
king, have been deprived of my tithes
and reduced to the low condition of a
merchant in rugs. a dealer in antiqui-
tiea dependent upon the good will of
tourists from the West, reduced perhaps
o1ae day to sit In a stall at the Carsija.
II u not so much that I am no longer
rich. but II is my pride, the pride of
! ttCA p' CTTJRRS Sbo'e