Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-12-15


deliverers.. beggars, yelled desert
women with children astride their
shoulders, and the live hens they
were selling beneath their nantes
and these groups dissolved and drew
away from him without his being
able to attract any observation from
the palace.
But at least, he thought doggedly,
any girl behind those latticed VIM
dows up there could see him in the
street, and If Arlee were there she
would understand his presence and
plan to get word down to him. But
he began to feel extraordinarily fool.
ish.
At length his patience was re-
warded. The small door opened and
the stalwart doorkenper, in blue robes
and yellow English shoes, marched
pompously out to him and ordered
him to be off.
Haughtily Billy responded >1at this
was permitted, and displayed a self
prepared document. gorgeous with
red seals, which made the man scowl
mutter, and shake his head and re-
tire surlily TO his door, and finding
81 black yelled girl peering out of it
at Billy, he thrust her violently with
In. but Billy had caught her eyes
and tried to look all the significance
into them of which he was capable.
Nothing, however, appeared to de-
Velop. The door rem aimed closed,
save for brief admissions OF bread
and market stuff from little boys on
donkey back or on a bicycle, all OF
sation. but none OF whom had been
into the palace. and tho Billy pressed
as close TO the door as possible when
the boys knocked, he was only re-
warded with u glimpse of the tiled
yestibule and inner court.
To the irate doorkeeper he pro-
tested that he was yearning to paint
a palace court. but tho he held up
gold pieces, the man ordered him
away in fury and spoke menacingly
of u stick for such fellows.
Now, however cool and fresh it was
in the garden that Saturday, 1t was
distinctly hot in the dusty street and
by noon, as Billy sat in the shade
beside the palace door. eating the
lunch he had brought and drinking
out Of thermos bottle. he reflected
that for man to cook himself upon
a camp STOOL, feigning to paint and
observing an uneventful door, was
the height of Matteawan. He de-
spised himself--but he returned to
the camp stool. ski
tN hn
Travellers were few. Occasionally
"a carriage passed; once a couple of
young Englishmen on polo ponies
galloped by; once n poor native came
down the road, moving his harem-
a donkey cart load of black shroud-
ed women, with three half-naked
children bouncing on a long tall
board.
Several groups Of yelled women on
foot proceeded to tn. cemetery and
back again.
vain.
In the heat of the afternoon the
wide door suddenly opened and
Captain Kerissen himself appeared
on his black horse. He spurred OFF
at gallop. intending apparently to
ride down the artist on the way. but
changed his mind at the last and
dashed past, showering him with
dust from his horses hoofs. The lit
tie donkey-boy, lolling down the road,
started to follow him. crying out for
aims in the name of Allah.
Billy stared up at the windows. Not
a handkerchief there, not a signal,
not a note flung into the street. In
great derision he squirted half tube
of cerulean blue upon his canvas.
y This. he reflected, was zero in de.
tective work. 1t was also sninus in
adventure. sa Il
But one never knows when events
are upon the wing. Almost immedi-
ately there came into the flatness
Of his bored existence a victoria con-
tanning those two English ladies he
had met-in the unconventional way
which characterized his meetings
with ladies in Cairo-two days be-
fore.
! The recognition was mutual. The
curiosity appeared upon their side.
| TO his horror he saw that they had
! stopped their carriage and were de-
scending.
''How Interestingly" said Miss Fall
coner, with more cordially than she
had shown on the previous occasion.
How very interesting! So you are
an artist do a little sketching my
self, you know"
"You do happen in the most unex-
peoted places" smiled Lady Claire.
The English girl looked very cool
and sweet and fresh to the heated
painter. His impression Of her as a
nice girl and a pretty girl was speed
that dark-haired, girls with gray
blue eyes under dusky lashes had
been his favorite type not so long
ago before he had seen Arlee's
fairy gold.
We've just been driving thru the
old cemetery = such interesting
tombs," said the elder lady, and Lady
Claire added, 81 should think you
could get better views there than
here"
By this time they had reached the
oelsei anu Stoou pdch VI IL IN oDser-
walton.
Blue, intensely blue, and thicFly
blue was the sky that Billy had Law
ished. Green and rigid were the
palms. Purple was the palace. Very
| black lay the shadows like planks
| across the orange road.
Miss Falconer looked as if she
doubted her own eyes. Hurriedly she
unfolded her lorgnette 'Tt-it's just
blocked in," said Billy, speaking with
a peculiar diffidence