Evening star., 1923-05-05


feeling for him. Beyond his
gratitude to her for saving his life
and her careful nursing through his
illness. his thoughts had been very
little of Ji1-Bett.
With tagging steps the girl entered
her home and went about her duty
Of preparing supper. Something had
gone out of her life: it would never
be the same. She wondered how she
could endure pearl fishing and katar
after he had gone away.
These had been busy days for the
old Iapidary. He had gone at his
task with an earnestness that sur
prised even Jil-Bett. All day he
work ed over it and often far into the
night. His old hand worked at
snafIs pace. but. oh. SO carefully and
sure He did not know that Jil-Bett
was wearying heaven with her pray
ers for his success. AS he handled
the old tools the fire of other days
seemed TO come back to him.
AS Jil-Bett had promised, she dealt
out the powders to him which he
pleading, weeping. when the old man
would beg on his knees for more
more.
The work on the ruby was pro-
crossing slowly, but surely. Jil-Bett
would sit beside him for hours.
watching breathlessly, her heart in
her eyes, as the feeble old hand held
the ruby.
But one more letter remained to
be traced-the last one. Il will fin
aye, shall work upon i; until broad
daylight" he announced. Jl-Bett
kissed him. her last words being that
he must take little rest before
starting in on it.
All that evening, while her grand
father worked ustriously at his
bench. Jil-Bett sat near him, her
elbows on her knees, her face in her
hands. She sat SO still he was sure
she had fallen asleep. But no: her
eyes were open. but they were not upon
him or his work.
AT length he ordered her to go to
bed. She did not wish to go, prefer
ring to sit with him. but the old man
was obdurate must be alone
say" he declared irritably.
At another time her grandfather
would have noticed her distressed
face and questioned her about it; to-
night he paid no heed.
Going straigt to her little box under
the cot, she drew the two love stories
out which had been her most priced
possessions.
You are wrong. both of you. He
did not say one word like you said
to the young girls who loved you,
and never want to see you again.
1 trusted what 1 read. I read your
pages and believed men did speak of
love and talk marry. Jack didn't. SO
you are false-just lies"
With these words she opened her
little window and sent the offending
pets of Shakespeare and Longfellow.
far into the night and the darkness.
They struck a man who was passing
full in the face. With muttered i'm
precation Ben-Ali (for it was he)
gathered them up. examining them
face grew even darker as he saw
what they were and that they bore
Jil-Betts name on the fiyleaf and the
inscription below:
From Mrs. Nudge"
That woman is responsible for the
nonsense in Jil-Bett's head" he NUT
tered. But for her Banncck would
not have had near so much trouble
in forcing her to consent to marry
me- Mrs. Nudge and the handsome
stranger shall leave katar in short
order"
He had stolen back stealthily and
so quietly one or two only knew that
he had returned.
The first thing he did was to
order the discharge of Jack. venting
his rage numerically on the head of
the OFFICIAL who had engaged him to
work in the pearl fisheries alongside
of Jil-Bett. 1t was with no little salts
faction he learned he was about to
lave. anyhow
THE sooner the better" he re-
marked grimly.
He had seen that it was Jil-Bett
who had thrown out the books. but
why she should have done this he
could not understand. knowing that
there was a very large streak of
romance in her nature that had de-
veloped with the coming of the stran-
ger Jack to katar
In common with most Arabs, his
creed was that women must be servfle
to their mated masters. Jil-Bett was
different from the native Arabian
women-high- strung and thoroughly
English to the hearts core-a race
whom the Arab Hated. Long since he
had determined that the yoke should
be put upon Jil-Bett's proud neck i'm
mediately upon his possession of her
by marriages clutching grip.
Jn-Bett knew Ben-Ali was expect
ed to return that morning. She Won
dered If her grandfather had seen
him and by any possible chance Sc