The Washington times., 1922-06-04


cased cups Of coffee.
IT have brought coffee; Mad.
ame's tea 10 finished" he murmur.
ed in tones OF deepest distress, and
with q gesture that conveyed a
national calamity.
There had been .tust enough tea
taken on the tour to last a month.
1t was another pin n.priek, another
reminder. She set her teeth, NOV
ed her head ansrily, and found her
self looking into a pair Of mock.
Ing eyes, and. as always, her own
dropped.
CASTOR said few words in Arabic
20 his master, and the Sheik swal.
lowed the boiling coffee and went out
hastily. The valet moved about
the tent with his usual deft noise
lessness, gathering up cigarette
ends and spent matches. and
tidying the room with an assidu-
Gus orderliness that was peculiar
ly his own. Diana watched him
almost peevishly. Was It the in
fluehce of the desert that made
all these men catliks in their
movements, or was the serv-
ant consciously or unconsciously
copying his master? With a sud
den fit of childish irritability she
longed to smash something. and.
with an impetuous hand sent
the little inlaid table with the
tray and coffee cups flying. She
was ashamed Of the impulse even
before the crash came, and
looked at CASTOR clearing up the
debris with anxious eyes. What
was the ma tier with herr The
even temper on which she prided
herself and the nerves that had
been her boast had vanished,
gone by the board in the last
month. II her nerve failed her
utterly what would become Of
her? What would she do?
CASTOR had gone, and she
looked around the tent with
- hunted expression. There seemed
no escape possible from the mis-
cry that was almost more than
she could bear.
There was a way out that had
been In her mind often, and she
had searched frequently 'in the
hope that she might find the
means. But the sheik had also
thought and had taken precau.
tions. One day 1t seemed as II
her desperate wish might be full
filled. and she had had only a
m o m ent's hesitation as she
stretched out her hand to take
the revolver that had been left
lying on a table, but as her fin
gers closed on the butt a mus
cular hand closed over hers. He
had come in with his usual silent
step and was close to her with.
out her knowing. He had taken
the weapon from her quietly,
holding her eyes with his own.
and had jerked 1t open, showing
the empty magazine. DO you
think that I am quite a fool?"
he had asked without trace of
expression in his voice.
And since then she had been
under ceaseless. unobtrusive
surveillance that had left her no
chance OF carrying out her terri
ble resolve. She buried her face
in her hands. "Oh, my God! Is
It never going to end?> Am
never going to get away from
him?"
She sprang to her feet and
walked restlessly round the tent,
her hands clasped behind her
back. her head thrown up, and
her lips pressed close together.
She painted as II she had been
running, and her eyes had a far
away. unseeing look. Gradually
she got command OF herself again
and the nervous excitement died
down, leaving her weary and
very desolate. The solitude
seemed suddenly horrible. Any
thing would be better than the
silent emptiness Of the great tent
A noise outside attracted her.
and she wandered, to the door.
way and out under the awning.
Near her the Sheik with CASTOR
and Yusef stood watching
mad, rampins colt that was
being held with difficulty by
two or three men, who clung
10 him tenaciously in spite OF
his efforts to break away, and
beyond was a semi-circle Of
Arabs, some mounted and some
on foot, leaving a wide, open
space between them and the
tent. They were intensely ex.
cited. talking and gesticulatine,
the mounted men riding round
the outer ring that they form.