The Washington times., 1922-06-15

putting O small tray On tne pfdss-
topped table by the bed.
"M'seiur Gaston." she stammer'
ed, almost crying.
Diana looked at the tray. ar.
ranged with all the dainty neat
ness dear to the Wallets heart, and
then at the travelling clock on the
table beside 1t, and realized that
It was an hour past her usual
lunch time and that she was ex-
tremely hungry. after all. A little
piece Of paper on the tray caught
her eye, and. picking II up, sae
read in Gaston's clear though min.
ute handwriting. AT what hour
does Madame desire to ride?"
The servant clearly had no IN.
tention Of giving up the program
for the afternoon without q strug.
gle. She smiled an she added Q
figure to the end Of the note. and
went to the curtains that divided
the rooms. "Gaston"'
Madame"
She passed the paper silently
through the curtains ana went
back to her lunch. When she
sent Zilah away with the empty
tray she rescued the Vicomts de
Saint Hubert's book from the floor
where she had thrown Il and tried
to read It dispassionstely. She
turned to the title-paSe and stud.
led the penciled scrawl souvenir
lie Raoul" closely. 1t did not look
Ike the handwriting Of small.
minded man. but handwriting Was
1othing to 80 by. shc argued
Ibstinateiy. Aubrey. who vas the
ssence Of seifishness. wrote beau.
fully. and had once been told bv
an expert that his writing denoted
generous love Of his fsllow-men,
which deduction had aroused no
.nthusiasm In the haronGt. and
rad given his sister over to help
less mirth. She turned the pages.
dipping here and there, finally
forgetting the author altogether in
the book. 1t was q wonderful story
Of a mans love and faithfulness.
and Diana pushed It ASIDE at last
with q bitter sigh. Things hap
pened 20 in books. She looked
around the room with pain-filled
eyes. at the medley Of her own and
the Sheik's belon nsings. her ivory
toilet appointments Jostiing indis-
criminately among his brushes and
his razors on the dresIsnI table.
and then at the pillow beside her
where his head rested every night.
She stopped and kissed 1t with a
little suivering breath. Ahmed
Oh. Monseigneurr' she murmured
longingiy. Then. with an .moatient
jerk Of the head. she sprang up
and dragged on her boots. She
pulled q soft felt hat down over
her eyes and picked up the re.
voiver the Sheik had given her.
She paused Q moment. looking at
II with an odd smile before buck
ling II round her slim waist. Gas
tons face lit up with genuine
pleasure when she came out to the
horses. -She had felt nomentary
embarrassment before she left the
tent. thinking Of the last time he
had ridden with her, but she had
known from the moment he came
back that night that he bore no
malice. and the look on his face
and his stammered woris to the
Sheik had indicated that the fear
he felt for her was not for what
might have happened in the dese-t.
but for what might yet happen 10
her at the hands Of his master
and hers.
The horse that she rode always
now was pure white. not 20 fast
as Silver Star and worry tricky,
called The Dancer. from q nervous
habit Of dancing on his hind-iegs
at starting and stopping. like q
circus-horse. He vas difficult to
mount, and edged away shyiy NJ
Diana tried to get her foot into tho
stirrup. But she swung up at
last, and by the time The Dancer
had finished his display Of haute
cole Castor was mounted. After
riding The Dancer I feel confident
to enter for the Concours Hippi-
aue," she laughed over her should.
er, and touched the horse with her
heel.
She wanted exercise primarily,
hard physical exercise that would
tire her out and keep her mind &C.
cupied and prevent her from think
ing. and the horse she rode sup.
piled both needs. He required
watching all the. time. She let hun
out to his full pace for his own
sake and hers, and the air and the
movement banished her headache.
and a kind Of exhilaration came
over her, making her almost hap