Evening star., 1923-01-11

The guards returned, bringing whips.
On seeing them, Rayma's screams
broke out afresh. Piteous little pleas
Tor mercy. wild promises never to offend
again, that he ignored completely. Then
she fell a-sobbing, golden statue at the
sultan's feet. --'s
Rayma's cries, terror stricken and
helpless, reached Pansy in the midst Of
her own daZed shame, making her
glance in the direction of the man she
hoped never to have to face again.
She saw the huge negroes with their
whips, awaiting the sultan'S order. The
his face a look she had never seen be-
fore-the look of an angered and pitiless
despot.
For moment she stood aghast, not
able to credit the scene before her. AS
she looked the sultan nodded.
The guards raised their whips. And
they fell with cruel, singing force.
But they did not fall on Rayma.
There was one in the harem who dared
come between the sultan and his wrath.
The whips fell on white shoulders. not
golden ones, bringing the blood oozing
to satin-smooth skin.
The weight and pain brought Pansy
to her knees before her captor.
"Raoul,' she gasped, II can't let you
do this dreadful thing"
The whips fell from the negroes
hands. Aghast, they stared at the girl
before him. 1t was not their fault the
lashes had fallen on the new favorite
and not on the culprit. But they would
be held responsible. and doubtless
beaten nevertheless. The women and
the girls started to scream and wall
Their master might turn on them for
letting the new slave get within reach
OF whips. But who was to know she
would dare come between the sultan
and girl he thought well to punish.
He paid no heed to the frightened
stareS OF the guards, the walls OF the
scared women, to Rayma still sobbing.
with fright, not pain. He had thoughts
ana eyes for nothing but the girl on her
knees before him, with the red welts
on her shoulders, horror and entreaty in
her eyes-Pansy calling him once again
by name.
With a fierce, possessive movement,
he stopped and gathered her into his
arms. crushing her against him, until
she was almost lost in his volunIinous
robes.
MY. little English flower, you can't
quite hate me- he whispered passion
me what you once thought me. You
wouldn't try to come between me and
the man 1 am"
With the girl in his arms, he rose.
Scared eyes watched him as he cross
ed the big hall. and disappeared behind
the silken curtains.
Then the girls started to whisper
among themselves. For the sultan had
taken this new slave to the gilded
chamber Of their desires.
CHAPTER XIII
gilded chamber the moonlight
dripped, making silver ponds on the
golden floor, filling the place with
vague shimmering glow
One bar Of moonlight fell on
couch where Pansy lay. her face
~ a h1- e;la
the sultan knelt, one arm across her,
watching her with glowing, passion
ate eyes.
The last few minutes had been
haze to the girl; blur of great
negroes with whips; of Rayma, Sob
bing and helpless; of Raoul lie Bre-
ton. cruel, as she had always felt he
might be.
He had come back into her life
suddenly, that lover with the strong
the big, half-tamed. arrogant man,
whom from the first she had liked
and had never been afraid Of
What dare 1 hope? What dare I
think?' his voice was saying. Dare
think that you don't quite hate
me? Look at me. my little slave.
and let me see what is in your eyes"
But Pansy did not look at him.
She was too full Of shame and con-
fusion, despite Leonoras assurance;
tan guessed at, for he stayed caress-
Ing her golden curls with a soothing
touch.
For a time there was silence.
Through the room the wind strayed,
its soft. rose-ladened breath mingling
with the subtle scent of sandaIwood.
Somewhere in the garden an owl
hooted. A peevish wall in the night,
came the cry Of jackals prowling
around the city walls.
Lak
hand, Pansy's shame subsided a little
For the girl there was always magic
in his touch, except when anger ragged
within her. There was no anger now,
only a sense Of her own helplessness,
and the knowledge of the lives he
held in his power.
Under the silence and his soothing
hand, question trembled to her lips.
born of her own helplessness and
the dire straits of her father and
friends.
"If if I marry you, will you
send my father and friends safely
back to Gambia?" she asked, IN low
voice.
He laughed tenderly.
IF l were as big villain as you
think me, I'd say yes and then break
faith with you, Pansy-as you broke
faith with me. If sent them back,
my little flower, do you know what
would complain to the French gov
ernment. An expedition would be
sent here, and they would dole out
to me the fate your father doled out
to mine"
the first time that his summary alb
duction of his fathers party had
brought him foul Of two governments.
Hprrified, she gazed at him; her
father and friends all forgotten at
the thought of the fate awaiting her
captor.
They would shoot him, this big,
fierce man. All fire would die out of
those flashing eyes. That handsome
face would be stiff and stark in death.
curve into lines of tenderness when
he smiled at her. There would be
no strength left in his arms. No
deep, passionate, caressing voice. No
untamed, masterful man, using all
his power to bend her to his will.
1t was one thing for Pansy to want
to kill him herself. but quite another
for other people to set about it.
At that moment she realized that,
in spite of everything, she did not
hate the Sultan Casim Ammeh.
And what was more he knew 1t,
too. For he bent over her, laughing
softly.
$50, Hearts Ease, you don't quite
hate me-" he said. THAT fact Will
keep me patient for quite q little
yes in my ear, as I would have you
whisper it-of your own free Will, as
you whispered I love you,' on that
sweet night six months ago"
He bent still lower, and kissed the
little face that watched him with
such strained anxiety.
Good night, my darling" he said
fondly.
Long after he had gone Pansy lay
trying to crush the truth back into
its hiding place in her heart. And his
voice, tender and triumphant, seemed
to echo back mockingly from the
jeweled ceiling.
For surely she could not love a man
so cruel, so barbaric, so profigate as