The Washington times., 1922-06-27

I
down on her curiously, his lips
IL drawn back from his blackened
teeth in an evil grin, and then
shook her off violently with Q
swift blow in the mouth, but the
woman clung closer. with up
turned. desperate face, thin
trickle of blood oozing from her
lips. and with hosrse, growl that
was like the dull roar. Of saw.
age beast the robber chief caught
her by the throat and held her
for a moment. her frantic, clutch
ing hands powerless against his
strong grasp, then slowly drew
the long knife from the ample
folds of his waist cloth. and as
slowly drove II home into the
strangling woman's breast. With
savage callousness. before he re-
leased his hold Of her, he wiped
the stained knife carefully on her
clothing and replaced It, and then
flung the dead body from him. 1t
rolled over on the rug midway
between him and Diana.
There was a momentary silence
in the room. and Diana became
conscious Of a muffled. rhythmical
beat near her. like the ticking OF
a great clock. and realized with
dull wonder that II was her own
heart beating. She seemed turned
to stone, petrified with the horror
Of the last few moments. Her
eyes were glued to the still figure
on the rug before her with the
gaping wound In the breast, from
which the blood was yelling. stain
ing the dark draperies Of the wo.
mans clothes. and creeping slowly
down to the rug on which the body
lay. She was dazed- and odd
thoughts fitted through her mind.
II was a pity. she thought stupbi-
ly. that the blood should spoil the
rug. 1t was a lovely rug. She
wondered what II would have cost
in Biskra--less. probably. than It
would in London. Then She for
got the rug as her eyes travelled
upward to the woman's face. The
mouth was open and the streak
Of blood was drying. but II was
the eyes, protruding. agonized. that
brought Diana abruptly to herself.
She seemed to wake suddenly to
the full realization of what had
happened and to her own peril.
She felt physically sick for mo-
ment, but she fought It down.
Very slowly she raised her head.
and, meeting Ibraheim Omair's
eyes fixed on her. she looked full
body and laughed, 1t was that or
shrek. The curls were clinging
drenched on her forehead, and she
wondered II her clenched hands
would ever unclose. She must
make no sign. she must not scream
or faint, she must keep her nerve
until Ahmed came. Oh. dear God.
send him quickly! The laugh wav.
cred hysterically. and she caught
her lip between her teeth. She
must do something to distract her
attention from that awful still
shape at her feet. Almost uncon-
sciously she grasped the cigarette
case in her pocket and took II out,
dragging her eyes from the hor!i-
BILE sight on whicb>th were fixed.
and chose and lit a cigarette with
slow care, flicking the still.burning
match on to the carpet between
the feet of the negro who stood
near her. He had not moved since
he had failed to stop the woman's
entrance and the two stationed
behind the pile OF cushions had
stood motionless. their eyes hard.
ly following the tragedy enacted
before them. At q nod from :he
Cn1eI tney flOW anu
away the body Of the woman. Jre
returned In a moment, bringing
fresh coffee, and then vanished
noiselessly.
Then Ibraheim OMAR leaned for.
ward with horrible leer and
beckoned to Diana. patting the
cushions beside him. Mastering
the loathine that filled her she sat
down with all the unconcern she
could assume. The proximity Of
the man nauseated her. He
reeked Of sweat and grease and
iT.kept horses. the pungent stencil
Of the native. Her thoughts went
back to the other Arab. Of whose
habits she had been forced into
such an intimate knowledge. Re-
membering all that she had heard
Of the desert people she had been
surprised at the fastidious care ne
took Of himself, the frequent bath.
ing. the spotless cleanliness Of his
robes, the fresh wholesomenes3
- a.