Evening star., 1919-11-30

studied the details OF her dress-a
white dress, fitting like a vest from
shoulder to hip, and having short. full
sleeves under which was a sort OF
blue gauze. Her hair. wrists and an
kles giittered with barbaric jewelry
and stringe of little coins.
A deafening orchestra. consisting of
tsmbourines. shrieking Arab vlols.
and the inevitable darabukeh. sur
founded the performer In q half cir
Gle; and three other large-sized CHA
wazi mingled their shrill voices with
the barbaric discords OF the musi-
clans. yawned.
"As a quest Of local color, Breton"
] said. this evenings expedition can
only be voted a dismal failure"
Have patience" he said; 1T is
sbejeret ed-Durr (Tree of Pearls) that
we have come to see. and she has not
yet appeared"
unless she appears very shortly"
! replied. sitting another yawn, 81
shall disappear"
But even as l spoke there arose a
hum Of excitement throughout the
crowded room: the fat dancer, breath
less from her unpleasing exertions,
resumed her seat: and all the per-
formers turned their heads toward a
door at the side Of The stage. A veil
ed figure entered. with slow, 1.-the
step; and her appearance was ac-
claimed excitedly Coming to the CEN
Ter or the stage, she threw off her
veil with swift movement. and con-
fronted the audience, a slim, barbaric
figure. / glanced at Felix Breton.
HIS eyes were glittering with excite
ment. Here at last was the ghaziyeh
or romance, the ghaziyeh of the
Egyptian monuments; q true daugh.
ter OF that mysterious tribe who, in
the remote past Of the Nile-land, woye
spells Of subtle moon-magic before
the golden Pharaoh.
monstrous crash from the musicians
opened the music to the dance-tbe
famous Gazelle dance-which COM
menced to a measure Of long. monoto-
nous cadences. Sherjeret d-Durr be-
gan slowly to move her arms and body
In that indescribable manner which, like
the stirring Of palm fronds, speaks the
veritable language OF the yoluptuous
orient. The attendant dancers, clash
ing their miniature cymDals the meas
ure quickened. and swift passion en-
gulfed the languorous body, which mag
ically became transformed into that Of
leaping nymph. bacchante. a living
illustration OF Keats wonder words:
'IAks to . moving vintage. down they came,
CrSwn'd with green leaves and faces all aname
An nadIy dancing through the pleasant valley,
Is scare thee. AslaachOiy!'
At the conclusion Of her dance.
Shejeret ed-Durr, resuming her veil,
descended to the floor of the hall and
passed from table to table. exchanging
lisht badinage with those patrons
known to her.
do you think you could induce her to
come up here. Kernaby?" said Breton
excitedly: ''she is simply the ideal model
for my 'Danse Funebre.'"
"Any inducement other than our pres
ence in this select part Of the establish
ment," replied. offering him a cigar
ette. ''is unnecessary. She will present
herself with all reasonable dispatch"
Indeed. I had seen the dark eyes
glance many times toward us, as we sat
there In distinguished isolation; and,
even as spoke. the. girl was ascending
the steps from whence she approached
our table, smiling in friendly fashion.
Breton's surprise was rather amusing
when she confidently seated herself,
giving an order to the cross-eyed waiter
in close attendance. 1t would be our
privilege, of course. to pay the bill. OF
Its being privilege. no one could doubt
who had observed the envious glances
cast in our direction by less favored
patrons.
AS Breton spoke no Arabic. the task
Of interpreter devolved upon me; and
I was carrying on quite mechanically
when my attention was drawn to a
peculiarly sinister looking person
seated alone at a table close beside
the corner of the stage. remember
ed having observed him address some
remark to Sheteret ed-Durr, and llav-
ing noted that she seemed to avoid
him. Now, he was directing upon us
a glare so electrically baleful that
when I first detected 1T / was con-
scious OF a sort Of shock. The man
was rather oddly dressed. wearing a
black turban and a sort Of loose robe
not unlike the burnous OF the desert
Arabs. concluded that he belonged
to some religious order, and that his
bosom was inflamed with a hatred of
a most murderous character toward
nd ha