Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-12-11
HI
The Palace
of Dslrkened
Windows

piS---tSs iiSl Sooi lllGuOS VIII SiNe
much.
Would she mail q letter."
"Have you stamps? No? She is SO
ignorant that is an obstacle. And
the post is distant and she dare not
go far. But sometimes the baker
sends a little boy, and If you had
money to give she might get Il note
to him to carry--tho, maybe. she
burns the note and keeps the money
the Vienneso ended pessimistcally.
but l must get help at once" Ar
Ice 1t, rated passionately. Before
Before" the other repeated cur
iously. lie makes love to YOU
! hm?'
''He--is beginning
"OAly beginnjng?"
| "Only--beginning.' Arlee felt the
| siri's strange, hard scrutiny thru the
! dark. Then size heard her draw 4
quick breath as ii her eyes on Ar
/ lees flower-like face had convinced
her of something against all her sor-
ry little reason.
We'll, that is good then" she said.
Try to keep him Off. What does he
promise you?"
Promise me? He does not promise
anything
But he must say something-what
lis between yon-what?" demanded
the other inpatiently
/ Briefly. her shaned cheeks grateful
for the shadows, Arlee told of that
| walk in the garden, OF the flowers
and the letter, the scene after din
ner. And the other girls eyes grew
wider and wider, and then finally she
/ burst into q sinothered little laugh.
! "Oh. he is mad, that Hamdi,'' she
| whispered. 'lfe is monster of van.
| ity-'eonquest of the spifit'-h'm.
comprehend. That young man has
pride beyond all sense. You dazzle
him--he is in love again like a boy,
| And he must dazzle you His pride
demands victory not of force alone.
| Some men ere like that. /. :.
Well. that is your chance!"
MY chancs?"
| "Play with his vanity-fieht his
| force with that" said this strange
initiator into terrible secrets. HE
1
tons l know him. And IL he is so
! mad for YOU that he dares all this
trouble to have you here, then he is
so mad that you can fool him and
make him hold back in hopes to gain
more from you. Make him think you
/ are coming, as he wishes, heart and
body, but still you would wait lit
! tie. SO you gain time. :, Oh, you
must be careful! If he loses hope,
if you anger him. why the game Is
over. But if you are careful you can
gain a few days"
"a few days" said Arlee in a tense
| little voice.
We'll that is something-since
you hate him SOL"
Eyes, that is something" Ar,ee
drew shiverins breath. her head
dropping, her lashes on her cheeks
Then suddenly, amazingly. her chin
came pluckily up, her soft lips set
with desperate decision, her eyes
turned on her counselor a look of
flashing spirit. She was like some
young wild thing at bay, harried. de-
fiant, tensely defensive. Something
of the patllos of her innocent pres
ence there, in that evil palace, ut.
terly alone, hopelessly defiant. pene-
trated for an instant the callous ac.
ceptance of the little dancer and her
eyes softened with facile sympathy,
but the impression dulled, and she
only nodded her head encouragingly
Good! That is the way! Women
can always act!" she murmured, slip
ping off the divan and drawing her
fluttering robes about her. But it is
very late and I must got is not
safe to stay So
"Where is your room? Could I get
to you?"
"No-for you cannot open that
panel on the inside-unless you can
not! My roorn-for this present, lit
tie one" and her eyes laughed sud
denly in challenge, lis up on the top
Ia little old room all alone. My
doors are locked, but there is a pan
Ell In my room, too, panel at the
top of tiny stairs, and the Jock on
that panel is SO old and rusty that
knife make it open. So I pushed
1t open and came down the tiny
stairs that end out there in the pas
sage way, and I opened your panel.
Now I must steal back, but 1 shall
come again, and we must PLAN
But where does this secret pas
sage go?" Arlee had followed over
the bed, and held aside the heavy
draperies while the little Baroff was
pushing the panel softly and careful
ly open. Eagerly Arlee peered out
into the darkness beyond. where
does it Go?" she repeated.
1T runs above the hall of banquets
and into the selamlik," whispered the
Viennese. TT opens into Hamdps
rooms, he says, and know that a
servant sleeps always at his door and
another is at the foot Of the stairs
So 1t would be madness to try that
way
But Arlee stared thoughtfully into
the secret place. II am glad 1 Know"
she said.
well, good-by, little one" The
Vicnnese was standing outside now,
softly closing the door For moment
ilSl lace remained IN the opening.
You will not tell Hamdi that I
came-no?" she demanded Sharply,
and then on 4Arlee's quick reasur-
rance she nodded, whispered good by
again, and drew back her little face
The wall rolled into place and a
gentle click told Of the caught lock
The curtains fell back over the wall.
And Arlee was left budding there
alone, feeling that it had all been a
dream but for the heavy scent that
fingered in the air and the wild fear
beating in her heart.