Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-05
CHAPTER XVI
The Beg of Rnfai

MTHEN Marishka reached the top of
w the stairs. and entered the harem, |
gazing terrified into the. darkness from
which she had emerged. she pushed aside |
the Kis-Kelim, listening fearfully for
sounds of footsteps below. then closed
the door. turned the key and put
her back against 1t, viewing with A
new vision the interior which while
ago had seemed so friendly. without
feva. who had given it's disorder a per-
tsonality. the room seemed alien, hostile
and madly chaotic. For the first time
since the reassurances of Captain Goritz
In the green limousine as to her safety.
she had a definite sense OF personal
danger She was not timorous by ma
ture.. and the hope of success in her
mission of atonement had given her the
now that the will which had kept her
buoyant through two arduous days and
nights had suddenly forsaken her and
LETT her supine. without hope or initia
tive. The actions of the man at the
doorway below had frightened her He
had beer so uncompromising in his ugli-
ness. The shock of her awakening had
'wildered her with its brutal significance.
She was prisoner in this Turkish
house, in an obscure quarter of q half
a night which seemed to possess untold
possibilities for evil. What was to hap
pen? Why had not Captain Goritz re-
turned? Enemy though she now knew
him to be, even Goritz was a refuge in
this perilous situation. And vet it
seemed certain that the man at the foot
OF the stairs was acting under the or
ders CT another who was accountable
to him,
Weakness overpowered her and she
threw herself on the pile of cushions
In the window and nd bnrisG her face in
the imminent facts of her surroundings
she could free her spirit of the terrors
which were overtaking it. As in her
thoughts and half-thoughts conflicting
and interchangeable. The rush and the
roar of the hurrying. motorcar. the
darkness with the sound of voices. She
started upright in her cushions, her face
palid and drawn, her thoughts now
focusing with sudden definiteness. The
dream than the other horrors that en-
oompassed her; She tried to remember
what they had said Ten thousand nand
egg--.-" What did the phrases mean?
Another-"To be kept In seclusion, of
course. but you will accede to all her
came clearer, at every moment:
Should she care to write, you will send
a message!" Marishka put her hand to
her lips as though to stif1e a cry, and
then sank back with gasp of compre-
hension. Goritz He had expected her
to send a message, and had prepared for
hsve s sfyssy But %RH owE EGM Se GSSa %sahs he
of It all came to her His certainty
and insistence as to Hugh Renwick's
pursuit-the belief that Renwick would
go at once to the Hotel Europa! The
power Of suggestion And she had fol-
lowed it blindly-unawares, leading
Hugh Renwck into the deadly trap
plan now in all its insidious perfection.
There was something malign-hypnotic-
in an influence which could so easily
had written him to come hereto the
door in the court below where men
would be neutrality-suspicious. to take his
life. It was too horrible
strain of long days and night of an
guish had reached the limit of her en-
durance, and her nerves., too, long under
heplessly upon the floor. sobs racking
her body from head to foot. She did
mot know how long she lay there. but
ready growing dark in the. room, like the
shadows that were stealing about her
heart. whichever way she turned. CROP
ing mentally for thought which would
danger threatened II there was man
at the foot of the stairs to. prevent her
escape, there would be others beneath
s.aao windows and at the door into the
Yeva! She clung to, the hope of
Yeva's slncerity-the last thing left 10
her. 1t was difficult for her to believe
that this child with the. body, of a
woman could be guilty of completely In
any plot. She might have obeyed in
structons to be the bearer of any note
that Marishka might write-indeed her
childish .prattle as to the wishes of her
lord and master verified the voices. Of
Marishka's dream, and suggested that
Marishka should be permitted to do as
she chose--so that Yeva had offered,
without fear of consequences: to deliver
Marishka's note at the hotel. She had
even consented to leave the lower door
open that Marishka might escape and
follow her. No woman of the world
could have acted a part as Yeva had
played 1t. If the girl had known Of the
guardian of the lower door, her skill In
dissimuiation was consummate-so much
out of keeping with the. simplicity of
her mind as to be entirely incredible.
Yeya was innocent, a mere tool in the
hands of Captain Goritz. who. disposed
ali the pawns in his command to play
his game. Yeva had been permitted to
depart without hindrance. Would
Marishka's note reach its destination?