Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-11-24
AND HERE 1T CONTINUES
CHAPTER VI
Concerning That Which Lay In the
Eyes OF ZOralda

Eyes OF ZOraida
TIM KENDRIC guessed, before the
- last door was thrown open for him,
that he was being led before Zoraida
Castelmar. The serving maid fitted on
ahead, out through a deep, shadow filed
doorway into the dusk, down a long cor
ridor and into the house again at an end
which Kendric judged must be close to
the flank of the mountain. Down a
second hallway, to heavy, nail-stud-
little maid had knocked and called. This
room was lighted by swinging lamp
and its rays showed it's scanty but rich
furnishings, and the one who had
opened, a tall, evil looking Yaqui who
wore in his sash long -barreled re-
volver on one side and a longer, curved
knife at the other. The girl sdled
about the doorkecper and, safe behind
his back, made a grimace of distaste
at him, then hurried on. Again she
knocked at locked door; again 1t was
swung open only when she had added
her voice to her rapping. Who opened
this door Kendric did not know for it
was pitch dark rs soon as the door was
shut after them and they stood in a
room either wIndowlcss or darkened by
thick curtains. But the girl hastened
on before him and he followed the pat
ter Of her soft moccasins, albeit with a
hand under his left arm pit; all of this
locking and unlocking of doors and the
attendant mystery struck him as clap
trap and he set 1t down as further play
for effect by the mistress of the place,
but none the less he was ready to strike
back if n wary arm struck at him
through the dark.
The CIR! had stopped before another
door, Kendric close behind her. Ihls
time she neither knocked nor called. He
heard her finger cropping along the wall
then the silyery tinile of bell family
heard through the thick oak panels.
"You will wait" she whispered. And
he knew that she was gone.
He was not forced to wait long. Sud
denly the door was opened; he heard 1t
move on its hinges and made out pale
rectangle Of light. A softly modulated
voice said: "Entra, senor.' lie
stepped across the threshold and into
the presence Of another serving girl,
taller than the other two maidens, finer
bred. a calm eyed, serene girl of twenty
dressed in n plain white gown girdlcd
with n smooth gold band. They were
in n little anteroOm the curtains be-
tween them and the main apartment mad
made the light dim, for just beyond he
could make out the blurred glowing oil
many lamps.
The girls great calm eyes looked at
him frankly an instant, vague shadows
drifting across them. Then, abruptly,
she put her lips quite close to his ear,
and whispered: "Do not anger hcr
senior :" Then, stepping quickly to the
curtain, she threw it back and lie en-
tered.
A vain. hcadstrong girl, deemed Ken
, dric. given the opportunity and very
great wealth, might be looked to fol
nbsurdities of this kind. But was all OF
this nothing more, nothing worse, thar
absurdity? Suppose Xornida were sin
corc in all that she had said to him, II
, all the things she did,
He had heard rumOr concerning
7 Ruiz Rios, long ago, half forgotten
, Certain wild deeds laid to the Me1i'
! cans door had brought forth the insin
uation that he was little mad. Zoraids
had claimed kinship with MIN.
At any rate. to Kcndric's matter Of
fact way of thinking. here was furthe,
clap trap that might well have been thu
result of a mad mind working eXtraVa
, gnntly. The room was empty. All foul
, walls, from ceiling to floor. were drape'
II. gOrgeOusly rich hangings, Orienta
silks, he imagined, deep puppies ant
yrllows and green's and reds cunninglI
arranged so that their glowing COlor'
and the ornamental designs worked
unon thcm made nc diScordant clash %
color. The chamber in which he haC
met Zorada ct the hotel was milC
lucd. cOlOrlass compared 10 this one
: There were no chairs, but a coUCl
nga:nSt each wall each bright spo
with its nigh hcApcd cushions. In thu
middle Of the room was a small square
ebony stand; unon it, glowing like roc
70 fr upon it's frail crystal stcm, thu
familiar stone.
lie had stepped couple Of pace,
into the room. his boots sinking without
sound into the deep carpet. In n
mood for girls whIms, mad or sane
he waited. Impatient and irritatod. llt
regretted having come; he should have
snt tight in the patio ard let her come
to him. No doubt she was spying or
him now from behind til" hanglag'
somewhere There was no comfort II
the thought. no joy in imagining tha
while ne stood forth in the clear light
If the hanging lamps she and her
maidcns and attendants might all bt
watching him, H. vastly preferred
solid walls and thick doors to silkeI
grapes.
While he waited two distinct imprcs
sions slowly forced themselves upor
him. One was that Of faint perfume
coming whence he had no way ot
knowing, the unf0rgCttablc, almoS
sirkpningly sweet fragrance he rcmem'
bcrrd. One instant he was hardly con-
scious Of it it was but suspicion of {
fragrance. And thcn it rilled the room
strongly sweet. strangely pleasant, I
near opiatc in its soothing effect.
The p'hcr impression was no trut
sensation in that it was registered by
none II the five senses: true sPnsa
tion only II in truth there is in man t
subtle sixth sense. unratalogued bu
vital. l. was the old uncanny ccrtaint!
tint at last eyes. the Cy"s of none uthC
S"nrchingly on him. So strong wa
the feeling on him that nc turned nbcu
( and fixed his own eyes on n particula
@ corner where the silkcn fuds hum
Y graceful and loose. lie felt tha
g she was there. exactly Mt that spot.
d lie .trOde across the room and hid
n sudden hand on the fabric, IL parte,