The Washington times., 1922-06-01

that she had noticed. He swung
her round TO look at her and she
writhed under his eyes of admir-
alton, straining from him az far az
his grip allowed. Holding her with
one hand he took her chin in the
other and tilted her face up TO his
with little smile. Don't look SO
frightened. I don't want anything
more deadly than some soap and
water. Surely even an Arab may
be allowed to wash his hands?"
His mocking voice and his taunt
OF fear. stung her, but she would
not answer and. with a laugh and
shrug, he let her 20, picking up
razor from the table and lounK-
ing into the bathroom.
With crimson cheeks Diana fled
into the outer room., His manner
could moi have been more casual
II she had been his wife a dozen
years. She waited for him In a
tumuIt Of emotions. but with the
advent OF CASTOR and dinner h.
returned to the attitude Of dispas.
sionate, courteous host that he had
assumed when he first came in.
He was q few minutes late. and
apoiogized grsvely as he sat down
opposite her. He maintained the
attitude throughout dinner. and
conscious Of the watching man.
servant Diana made herself reply
to his easy conversation.
He talked mainly OF the desert
and the sport that II offered. as II
he had studied her tastes and cho.
sen the topic 10 please her. He
spoke well; what he said was inter.
estinE, and showed complete knowi.
edge OF the subject. and al any
other time Diana would have lis
tened fascinated and absorbed. but
now the soft. slow, cultured voice
only seemed 10 add TO the incon.
gruity OF the situation. The role
OF willing guest that he was fore
ing upon her was almost more than
she could play. and the necessity
Of sitting still and responding was
taxing her endurance to the ut
most. And all the time she was
aware acutely Of his constant sur
veillance. Reluctantly her own
turtive glance was drawn fire.
quently TO his face. and always his
dark fierce eyes were watching her
with q steadiness that racked her
nerves. till she was reminded ire.
sistfbly Of an exhibition that she
had seen in q circus in Vienna.
where a lion tanner had concluded
an unusually daring performance
by dining in the lions cage, sur
rounded by savage snarling brutes
very different from the sleepy half
drusged creatures ordinarily
shown. Interested in the animals.
she had gone behind with Aubrey
after the performance. and while
fondling some tiny lion cubs that
had been brought for her to see
had chatted with the tanner, a girl
little older than herself. She had
been somewhat unapproachable
until she had realised from Diana's
friendly manner that her questions
we're prompted by real interest
and not mere curiosity, and had
unbent with surprising swiftness
accepting Dianas proftered cigar
cites and taking her to see her spe-
cial lions, who were boxed for the
night. Diana had wandered up
and down before the narrow cages,
looking at the big brutes still rest.
less from the show. rubbing her
cheek on the soft little round head
Of the cub she WIS holding In her
arms, smiling at it's sleepy rasping
purr.
Are you ever afraid" she had
asked suddenly--"not of the ord
nary performance. but of tina, last
act, when YOU dine all alone with
them?"
The girl shrugged her shoulders,
blowing a little cloud OF smoke into
the cubs tece, and her eyes had
met Diana's slowly over his little
yellow body. One does not taste
very much" she had said drily.
And II was so with Diana. Sh.
had eaten mechanically every.
thing that had been put before her,
but she had tasted nothing. Sno
had one thought in her mind
that excluded everything else
10 hide from the probin2 eyes
that watched her ceasely the
overmasterins fear that augment
ed every moment. One thing she
had noticed during the meal. For
her only the servant poured out
the light French wine that he had
brought. Her eyes wandered to
the Sheik's empty glass, and meet.
ing her glance he smiled, with
little inclination.
Excuse me do not drink