The Washington times., 1922-05-29
Installment TX.
wright 1891. by Small. Maynard

SS~~4A444SAV A&As
His assiduity Jared on Dians's
new-found janglins nerves. She
recognized that he was sincere in
his efforts to please her. but just
now they only seemed an added
humiliation. She longed to shout
go awayr' like an angry school
boy, but she managed to give
him the information he wanted.
and putting cigarettes and
matches by her he went out
with a little smile of satisfaction.
The longing for fresh afr and the
desire to see what place she had
been brought to grew Irresistible
as the evening came nearer. She
went to the open doorway. A
big awning stretched before 1t.
supported on lances. She step
ped out from under it's shade and
looked about her wonderingiy.
1t was a big oasis-bigger than
any she had seen. In front Of
the tent there was an open
space with a thick belt of palm
trees beyond. The rest OF the
camp lay behind the chiefs t.nt.
The place was alive with men
and horses. There were some
csmels in the distance, but it
was the horses that struck
Diana principally. They were
everywhere, some tethered, some
wandering loose, some exercising
in the hands OF grooms. Mounted
Arabs on the outskirts of the
oasos crossed her view occasion
ally. There were groups Of men
engaged on various duties all
around her. Those who went by
near her salaamed as they pass
ed, but took no further notice OF
her. A strange look came into
Diana's eyes. This was the
desert indeed. tho desert as she
had never expected to see It, the
desert as few could expect to
see It. But the costl She shud-
dered, then turned at q sudden
noise near her. A biting, scream
ing chestnut fury was coming
past close to tho tent, taking
complete charge Of the two men
who chung. yelling, to his head.
He was stripped. but Diana recos-
missed him at once. The one brief
view she had had of his small,
vicious head as he shot past her
elbow the evening before was
written on her brain for all time.
He came to halt opposite
Diana, refusing to move. his
ears laid close to his head. auiv-
ering all over. snatching contin-
ually at his grooms, who seemed
unable to cope with him. Once
he swung up on his hind legs
and his cruel teeth flashed al
most into the face of one Of the
men, who was taken off his
guard. and who dropped on to
the ground, rolling out of the
way with a howl that provoked
a shout Of laughter from a knot
of Arabs who had gathered to
watch the usual evening eccentri-
II 80 IN
French servant, coming from
behind the tent, stopped to speak
10 the man as he picked himself
up and made q grab at the
horses head, and then turned to
Diana with his pleasant smile.
HE 10 rightly named Shaitan.
Madame, for he is assuredly poss-
essed of a devil" he said, indi-
eating the chestnut, who, at that
moment, with a violent plunge,
broke away from the men who
were holding him and headed for
the edge Of the oasis with the
Arabs streaming after him.
"The mounted men will catch
him." he added with a little
laugh, in response to Dianas ex-
clamation.
"Is he amusing himself. or is
II really vice." she asked.
Pure vice, Madame. He has
killed three men,"
Diana looked at him incredul-
ously, for his tone was casual
and his manner did not indicate
any undue feeling.
He ought to be shot," she
said Indignantly.
The man shrugged Mon
seigneur is fond Of him." he said
quietly.
And 80 because Monseign-
eur was fond OF him the
vicious animal was surround
ed with every care that his
masters pleasure might not be in
terfered with. Evidently the lives
OF his wretched people were of less
value to him than that Of a favor
ite horse. II sounded compatible
with the mercilessness she had
herself experienced. What she