Evening star., 1923-05-11

| confessing he loved and was planning
to wed Jil-Bett."
What is that" she queried eagerly.
II had not intended to tell you, Test
you drop word about it."
You may trust me fully: ! shall
not mention it, not even To Jil-Bctt.
You never went back on your word,
Mary. so here goes. 1t is known
only to one or two others beside my
self that an Arabian woman has fol
lowed RenAli to Katar. He does not
know of it. She claims to he his wife,
and that they have "A family on the
opposite side of the desert. If she
knew of his infatuation for ill -Bett
we might fear for our little girl.
These Arabian women will not brock
love for any other in the hearts of
their lords and masters. They are.
one and all. keenly jealous TO the
hearts core"
I'VE must guard Jil-Bctt with extra
! band" she said
That is. if she ever does" an
Swered Nudge.
Jack had made but one call At the
home of the MudSes, and that the day
following the ceremony. and then his
stay was but of a few moments dura- =
ton. He did not even ask to sec
Jill Bett. but told them he had come
to say he intended to take her to
America. and expressed the hope that
! SHt "bulu ne III readiness 10 accom-
pany him when the boat sailed.
She will be quite ready" asserted
Mrs. Mudge; the poor child can take
all her possessions in ii handaua
handkerchief"
He made no inquiries concerning
her. nor did he ask to see her. fact
which secretly angered Mrs. Nudge
greatly.
Jill Bett had no knowledge that he
had been there until, just happening
to glance from the window. she saw
him hurrying down the path. quickly
lost to sight by a. bend in it"
Has Recommendation
out asking to see me?" sobbed Jill
Bett.
Mrs. Nudge was sorry to be fortN d
To admit that such was the case. Jill
Bett uttered no word OF protest. but
the sigh on her lips spoke more
loudly than words of how keenly she
was suffering from his neglect of
her.
Instead of sailing at daybreak, the
captain of the Dolphin. bound for
New York, announced that. owing to
an impending hurricane. she would
not put out for perhaps a week.
Jack had made arrangements pre-
viously for a berth for himself with
one OF the vessels crew. He was
lions for Jil-Bett with the stewardess
in another part Of the boat.
He felt rather relieved at this ar
ranSement. for it would give him
time TO consider what he should do
now. Roaming about the world with
one thing. to be encumbered with a
wife who had been thrust upon him
was quite another matter-and a
handicap. He felt very sorry for
poor Jil-Bett.
Since the hour they had been
l,s
what had not dawned upon him be-
fore-that the girl loved him. To-
gether with this discovery came an
other very disturbing fear and worry
Could II be possible that she whom
he had deemed so artless was a party
TO deliberate scheme to entrap him
The more he cogitated over the mat
ter. the more uneasy he became re-
garding it.
1t had been settled that while Jack
took up his quarters on the boat. Jill
Bett should remain ashore with the
Mudges up to the last hour.
rs this the way all brides begin
their honeymoons?" .Jil-Bett timidly
inquired of Mrs. Nudge, when they
were alone together. and there was
suspicion of tears in the wonder
ing dark eyes.
Bless you, no. child" was the an
swer; but everything depends on
circumstances"
The girls next question surprised
Mrs. Nudge even more
DO you think Jack really cares
for me-"
'Of course. Jil-Bett, or he would
not have married you. my dear He
was not forced to offer you his heart
and hand. you know-marrying goes
by favor
The girls face paled; she sat star
Ing at Mrs. Nudge with wide-open
eyes. She knew what her friend did
not know, and her young heart was
troubled.
1t was a cause of wonderment TO
the Mudges that Jil-Betts bride
groom did not spend the few eve
nings with her before the boat sailed
on shore, instead of on the steamer.
AS the time for her departure drew
near Mrs. Mudge's nerves We're at a
high tension. Ben-.Ali had made no
move as yet. What he intended to
do was only conjecture. She could
only wait, and hope and pray that no
harm should befall JiI-Bett.
At one time she had made up her
mind to send for Jack and make a
clean breast of the danger Jill Bett
was in at the hands of the Arab.
Nudge did not favor the plan. He
would seek Ben-Ali out at once and
but one of them would come out of
the encounter alive.
You think that one would be the
Arab?"
Her husband nodded gravely.
Thus Jack was kept completely in
the dark. 1t would have been better
had they enlightened him. He was to
fight in the dark. The more Jack
thought over the events of that un-
forgettable night the more doubts
assailed him as to jill Belts trust
WorthinesS in the matter. The up
shot of the whole affair was. he was
tied to the girl for life. He Won
dered if the story of the treasures
he had been accused of taking had
not been an invention of the old
iapidarys scheming brain-a scheme
into which the girl had very readily
entered.
He tossed up A coin to decide
whether she should sail with him or
remain in Katar. Heads, she goes
tails, she stays"
The coin settled her fate, as II
were. coming UP heads. From that
moment he made no further demur
To Be Continued Tomorrow.