Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-12-13
The Palace
of Darkened
Windows
Bly,
MARY
HASTINGS
BRADLEY

i should not have gone,' ac-
knowledged Arlee, but, as l said,
heard voices from the ante room and
| thought would like to see her. . j.
That pretty little maid she gave me
does not speak any English. so 1
cannot send any messages"
But you can write them"
MY French spelling is worse than
my pronunciation" She laughed
iamusedly. Il wish you would find
me an interpreter to put my polite
| remarks into polite sounding phrases.
know put things like First
Reader,"
He smiled. You do not put them
like q First Reader to me. We do
not need an interpreter. :. /. Unless
need one to speak TO your"
.Oh. no. your English is wonder
full" She waited an instant, then
took GREATNESS plunge. "Have you,
any more news for me-" she de-
ancy. 1t would be suspicious. indeed,
IL she did not ask that. But what il
he had decided ,to throw the preteuse
astde--
Not one word OF news more" he
said slowly.
She felt him watching her as she
looked down on her plate. The pref
ty little girl was passing u platter
of pigeon: Arlee did not speak until
she had helped herself. then she said
In q voice touched family with cha
grin, Wei. the English are not very
gallant toward ladies' in misfortune.
are they? feel furiously snubbed.
or course. Mrs Eversham new :
er was much Of writer, but they
| might send over my letters from the
hotel, The last mail ought to have
brought lot from that big brother
of NINE"
"Ah, yes, that big, grown-up, mar
ried brother who is so satisfied with
all you dol
She felt she had been unfortunate
in her rash condolences,
"He won't he SO pleased when he
learns how J. wasted perfectly good
Nile ticket" she remarked. And big
Brother is rather fierce when he
isn't pleased
Hisveyes smiled as If he under
stood and despised her suggestion.
Cairo and your America are not so
near" he observed negligently. that
an incident here is matter, of inn
mediate knowledge, there
She felt the danger of seeming to
threaten him. .Oh, I'd Tess up" she
said lightly, playing with her food.
There shoo--,go away she cried
suddenly. with militant gesture
aboutoher plate. That's one thing I
hate about Egypt.--the flies,"
Il liopc that is the only thing you
hate" said the young man blandly.
isn't that enough? There are SO
many of them"
He laughed with real amusement
at her petulance. Nils there netting
enough in your room!' he inquired.
Would you like more for your bed %
"Oh. no, I'm all right, thank YOU.
The flies are chiefly bothersome at
meals This is certainly their para :
dise'
But is there anything you would
like---to make you happy here? will
get it for you. Would you not like
| some books, some music, some new
| Clothes
don't wonder You ask. But
really this white gown will last lit
! tie longer-Cairo is so clean. No
thank you, there is nothing j need
bother you about Oh, yes, there
really is one book that l would like
a Turkish or an Arabic dictionary
have always meant to learn lit.
tie Of the language and this would
seem the opportunity"
In the pause in which he appeared
to be consuming pigeon she coulo
feel him weighing her request, fore
seeing it's results
shall be most happy to, teach
you," was what he said, but she
knew she would never have that die.
| tionary. And so one plan Of the
morning went flying to the winds
But she snatched at the next opening
she saw and plunged into interested
questions about the Turkish Ian.
guage. asking the words for sucl
things as seemed spontaneously tt
occur to her-wall, palace, table
numbers-days Of the week-repeat
ing tue pronunciation with the earn.
estness of diligent young pupil. un-
til she felt that her memory jhad al
! IT could hold. And distrustf always
ready now like a prompter in the box
suggested most upsettingly that per.
/ q civ
lords. She resolved to experiment
upon Mariayah.
| He reverted, with increasing en-
| phasis, upon his desire to make her
happy In the palace, to surround her
| with whatever she desired, and
| swiftly she availed herself of this
second opening.
that would mae me happier if you
don't mind, please" she added with
| a droll assumption of meekness
You don't know how horrid 1t is for
me to be Gagged in one room and not
| be out OF doors, and would love To
come down into the garden when ]
want to. Won't you give me a kew
| to that door? That is, If it is ALWAYS
| locked"
Generally it Is not" he said read
lily. but now with the soldiers about
| 1t Is safer. You see. the soldiers can
approach the garden thru the open
| banquet hall'-and he nodded to the
colonnade behind them-"and tho IT
is forbidden, one cannot foretelI their
| obedience"
TO one who knew those soldiers
were chimerical acquiescence was
maddening.
But, dear me, can't you have some
one in the banquet hall to shoe the
soldiers away?" Arlee ARMED nay