Evening star., 1923-01-04
Continued from Yesterdays Star,

that her captor might not be going
to carry out his threats.
Her gaze turned toward the room
with it's wealth and luXury-a fiji
setting for a sultan's favorite.
Pansy 5hiVered.
What price might she not have to
pay for her fathers life?
Then she thought OF Raoul LIE Breton
The dark blood in him seemed moth
ing now. compared with the thought
of having to become the chattel OF
this wild. desert chief.
Slight sounds in the big room reused
her. from her reverie.
She started violently. expecting to
see the sultan coming to- make his
bargain.
But only a couple OF white -robed
servants were there.
The biggest of the inlaid tables was
set for dinner; a dinner for one, set
in European way. And the meal
that followed was the work of a
skilled French chef
But the sumptuous repast had no
charm for a girl worried to death
at the thought of her own fate and
her fathers. To please Alice she made
some pretense of seating.
Leaving her maid TO rerel in the
neglected dainties. Pansy went back
to her vigil in the arches.
In course Of time. the lamps burn
ing low. Alice's prodigious yawns
drove heF 70 lie wakeful among the
soft cushions of one of the ottomans
From fftful slumbers Alices voice
roused her the next morning. Alice
with the usual early morning tea
tray of choice fruit and a baskc,
full Of rare and beautiful flowers.
Distastefully PanSy looked at the
choice blossoms. She felt they were
from the sultan to his unwilling visi-
tor: silent message of admiration
OF homage. perhaps.
Take them away, Alice" she sai id
quickly. And put them where !
can't see them
With curious glance at her mis-
tress. the girl obeyed
Pansy drank her tea. all the time
pondering on her future
III she had to go under. she would
go under fighting. If this wild chief
were prepared to give her her fathers
life in exchange for herself. she would
see that he got as little pleasure as
possible out of his bargain. n he
We're infatuated with her. as Alice
ana DIT Edouard seemed TO think. SO
much tho better. All the more keenly
he would feel the lashes her tongue
would be able TO give.
Pansy knew he spoke French, for
this fact had come into the story her
rather had told her in years gone by
In thinking of the cutting things she
would be able to say to her captor
oansy tried to keep at bay the dread
site felt. Since he was not there to hit
at IN person, she hit at him with sneers
at his race to Alice.
Il don't suppose there's anywhere
can have bath" she remarked wher
ner tea was finished. Cleanliness isn't
one of the virtues Of these Arabs"
Dere be one Alice assured her
De most beautifulest one you eber saw.
Pansy agreed with her maid some
ITA0 lGaNN
about in its cool waters
Alice had pointed out the place tc
her. In dressing gown and slippers
Pansy had passed through the wide gal.
iery, lacy prison OF stone it seemed
TO the girl, for although it gave a wide
spot in its carved side that she could
nave put her hand through
Immediately beneath lay a garden
surrounded by a high wall
fansy had seen many gardens, bu;
none to equal the one before her in
peace and beauty. It was a dream Of
roses. In the middle was a sunken pond
where water-lilies floated and carr
swami and gaped at her with greedy
mouths when her shadow fell across
them, as II expecting to be fed Vivid
green velvety turf surrounded the pond
rarity in that arid country. There
was nothing else in the garden but
roses. OF every shade and colour They
streamed IN cascades over the hfgi
walls They grew in banks by the pond
III III treilised alleys and single bushes
Inc garden was gem of cool green.
ness scent and silence, and over il
brooded the shadows OF gigantic
expresses.
The bathroom lay beneath the stone
gallery, with fretted and columneG
climbed. opening directly on the scented
quiet or. the garden. It was a huge
basin of white marble about thirty
feet across and deep enough to swim
in, with a carved edge, delicate as lace
Pansy was IN no mood to appreciate
her falry-like surroundings. And the
beauty of her prison i'll no way softeneC
her heart toward her captor.
AS she spashed about in the bath
over the high walls came the sound OF
bells, like church chimes wranglinr ir
the distance on an English Sunday.
Wistfully Pansy stopped and listened
TO them She was travelled enough tc
recognize them as camel bells: SONS
train coming to this barbaric city.
When she returned TO the dim. eildeG
room. breakfast was awaiting her: ar
ordinary continental breakfast
She pecked at il, too sick at beart
to eat. Then she sat on, awaitine
Edouard's appearance. He had DarteG
with her the previous night, promisins
to come and see her when she was in.
SldIieu III tlS SulCanS palace.
II was evening before he came. Pans,
greeted him eagerly. All day she hai
dreaded that her captor might appear
But she wanted to see him, to satisf,
herself about her father
Edouard's visits to her were purel,
professional, and brief. Always MS
idea was to get away, for his conscienc.
pricked him where Pansy was concerned
He was used to his patrons wild ways
and he knew the girls position was no
of her own choosing.
will you tell the sultan want tr
see him?" she said when he rose to go
Hasn't he paid you a visit vet .
the doctor asked with surprise.
NO; and I'm so worried about my
father"
Edouard left, promising to deliver
her message. But he came the mex
day, saying the sultan refused t.
grant her an interview.
Il wonder why he won't see me,
she said, drearily.
Edouard wondered also
That evening he dined with hi.
friend and patron, not in a gorgeou.
eastern apartment like Pansy's, .bu
In one that was decidedly western il
its fittings and appointments. AnC
the sultan was attired as Pansy ha(
seen him several times in Grand Ca
nary, in black dress suit, white pleat
ed shirt and the black pearl studs.
Dinner was over before EdouarC
approached the subject of the gfr
prisoner.
"If 1 were you I'd see Miss Bar
clay" Z Raid. This suspense won
do her any good. She frets all day
about her father"
TIE not in my plans to see hel
just yet" the sultan replied.
Edouard glanced at him.
Then he did what for him was /;
bold thing, fat and comfortable ant
fond of his esay berth as he was. H,
challenged his royal master concern
mig his intentions toward the captiv'
girl.
What are your plans with regart
to Miss Barclay?" he ventured. She
not one of the sort who can be bough
with a string of pearls or a diamont
YaA