, 1923-03-28

He thought to himself that seldom
had he seen a woman whose beauty
was more appealing than that OF this
faery creature who sat and gnzed at
him. Her features, her hands. her
body. were finely drawn. delicately
chiseled. as though carve from some
long buried tusk of creamy ivory.
There was q hint of the exotic.
of the foreign, in her face, but only
a hint. 1t contained nothing coarse.
nothing v~oluptuous. That whole
face lighted from within by flaming
character, dlmly reminded Fortesque
OF the faces OF noble women as
limned by the artists of Mogul times.
The eyes which dweIt so coolly
upon him were deep lapis, speckled
with irregular fakes of gold.
Strange beauty. n~ssuredly: yet not
so strange as the attire below II.
Strictly speaking there was no attire.
About the shoulders of this intruder
was gathered the richness of a Cash
mere shawl which Fortesque recog-
nized as his own. Below this he saw
the soft folds OF his own silk loung.
ing robe. from which peeped out the
bare rose-petal feet OF his guest.
At length tho silence was broken
by the woman
Aren't you ever going to ask any
questions?'
Fortesque shrugged and surveyed
her coolly.
why should IT I can use my
eyes. You evidently came here to-
day in the rain"
quite true" she answered with
perfect Fortesque gazed
Town upon her.
you speak English with an &C
cent he stated.
DO I. Mr.. Fortesque?"
He started slightly. You know
me7" The woman smiled. Her
smile irritated him for It implied a
trife OF superiority.
81 came here this morning. ! have
read your books. 1 have seen your
things, and through them I visual
lied you. But It seems I was wrong"
Fortesque NODDED curtly. your
clothes?" He questioned.
I'm the bed room-I had no means
OF drying them"
Get your clothes and dry .hem
before the fire." he said. And I sug-
gest hat you put on a suit of my
pajamas." While the young woman
arranged her rain soaked clothes be-
fore the blazing logs and in his bed
room donned the silken pajamas,
Fortesque set about preparing supper.
He kept a goodly stock or edibles in
the hermitage.
In a few minutes he opened the
door and called his guest. She came
with a little cry OF eager delight.
She ate. Fortesque noted with her
left hand. AT this he smiled to him
self.
When they had finished supper he
produced a s~andlewood box. A slight
smile curved his lips as he loosened
the cigarettes II contained. You
will perhaps find these familiar" he
said. and seemed not to observe the
involuntary o OF surprise that his
words produced.
well. / suppose you are wonder
ing about me-" she said.
Not particularly" returned Fort
esque. 81 accept you as I would
accept the lightning-for which the
Arab word is Barak."
She started slightly. What do you
known
Know? Nothing. You speak with
a slight accent, you are the most
beautiful woman 1 ever saw. yet 1
do not hin you have passed twenty
years. You eat with your left hand
and yet you are not left handel
Those cigarettes. which came to me
from an Arab merchant. drew a light
of recognition to your eyes. You are
alone In the Mountains at night with
n strange man and yet you have no
fear. The Arab name of 'Barak,' the
lightning startled you" He paused
grimly noting the remarkable effect
OF his words on the girl.
What do you knows" she asked
again.
Nothing" He looked at her
steadily.
"GuessF' she said. her bosom
swiftly rising and falling.
Guess? What should 1 guess? A
vision from old romance. a character
from the annals OF Delhi? You are
a Sultan's daughter. n Rajah's RAM,
a daughter OF the Sedan of Babylon"
This is singular" she murmured.
For a man guessing. you are sur
prisingly adept. OF what people am
l them"
Fortesque's lips curved grimly.
THE race? The use of the left hand:
well that is Arab. The accent is