Evening star., 1923-04-28
TODAY'S ISSTAII.MEET.
FATE wEAVES HER WEB.


TN far-off Arabia it lacked but two
days of 4 fortnight since the
i morning the stranger had been
taken to the hospital. As the
day dawned on the Arabian coast
twilight was deepening in the city of
New York, on the opposite side of
the world. 1t was Claidena Wallis
wedding eve. Although her lover had
not communicated with her in any
way since the night of his bachelor
dinner. the family was not alarmed.
He had told them he would be more
than busy In settling his affairs To
be able to get away for their honey
moon trip around the world nnd
might possibly have to be away Il
week or more--he had not mentioned
where.
When there was no word from him
during all the hours Of the wedding
day. Clairena grew puzzled over such
| conduct. and soug hit her father. TO
confer with him about il.
Don't worry" reassured the col
onel patting ClairenaS bronze gold
eurls; "he win be on band for, for the he
love IS he is for that"
bevy Of fluttering bridesmaids
came after her to dress for the cere, ,
mony. Never was there fairer Uf
more beauteous bride-eleCt than the
ena stood before it. arrayed in her
bridal robes.
The church was thronged with the
elect of the city. The bridal party
stood in the vestry room awaiting
the appearance Of he bridegroom-to- =
be. The hands of the clock pointed to
five minutes before the hour set for
the ceremony-still he had not ar
rived.
The pretty bridesmaids looked
| ,lyf, ,l,
quite still on the sofa beside the col
onel her hands tightly claSped over
her bridal bouquet. her cold. proud
face giving no outward sign OF the
emotions surging through her bosom.
The clocks hands passed the given
hour slowly, but surely. Five, ten,
fifteen minutes passed; then another
ten.
Clairena's eyes sought her fathers
face. His face was white with rage:
an angry fire shone, in his averted
eyes.
The pastor. in grave perpleXity. had
been telephoning everywhere there
| might be possibility Of locating the
missing man.
The answer was the same in each
instance: He had not been seen or
heard from since the night Of his
bachelor dinner"
Col. Vail arose from his daughters
side, his features set and stern, the
veins on his forehead standing out
like whipcordS. his eyes blazing
with mighty wrath, and glanced about
him.
His daughter sat like beautiful
marble statue, apparently incapable
Of thought or action. The brides
maids were huddled together in Il
frightened group; flowers from the
bouquets they carried had fallen at
their feet. The groomsmen stood,
stern, anxfous-faced. some with their
oil
watching the girl who awaited the
bridegroom, who they instinCtively
felt would not come.
Edward Thorne crossed over to
Clairena and caught her hand.
LAS best man. what announcement
am / to make through the pastor to
the assembled guests?' he whispered.
addressing the colonel.
Give us few minutes to think
and decide" sobbed Clairena.
He shall answer me for this" NUT
tered the colonel between set teeth.
land on sight"
What announcement is to be made
to the waiting guests?" repeated
Thorne as he observed the pastor ap-
preaching them.
On this self-same night. on the op-
posite side of the world, Jil-Bett, very
much disappointed at being turned
away from the hospital door without
seeing the young man. was slowly
vending her way home.
Her path lay through thicket of
tall shrubs She had scarcely enter
ed the dense shadow ere her quick
ear detected the sound of stea!thy
steps behind her.
In all her young life Jil-Iiett had
yet to experience danger or know
fear. She expected whoever it was
to pass her and hurry along. In
stead, the footsteps stopped short
alongside of her; the next instant her
arm was grasped in steel-like grip.
"Ha. ha. Jil-Bett." whispered a
mans voice hoarsely, I'VE have met
alone at last"
Finland me-" cried ths girl, recog-
nizing him a once as one of Ben-Ali's s
trusted men. How dare you touch
me, Twice before you have been
thrown headlong into the sea for fol-
lowing me-
There is no one here to do it this
time" sneered Hassan, the Arab.
whom Jil-Be detested quite as much
as his master, Ben-Ali. Il have
sworn to myself that ! shall kiss the
lips of the beautiful Jil-Bett," he de-
clared. attempting to draw her by
main force into his embrace.
Although the girl struggled like an
Amazon, and from the dense dark
ness out into the star-lighte6 open
space, she soon realized she was no
match for the muscular Arab.
She tried to cry out. but. dlNlnlnE
her intention. a strong hand gripped
her mouth. In that supreme moment
of danger the remembrance of the
dagger she wore in her belt came
like an inspiration to the girl An
instant more and its bright blade
flashed in the starlight as she held il
aloft, but the Arab was too quick
for the descending blade, catching
her wrist in grip that sent her only
weapon from her and with force
that broke the blade from the hilt.
In that instant Jil-Bett realized her
full danger for the first time.
80! Jil-Bett is now conquered"
he shrilled, stepping backward to
peer into her face, still holding her
by the wrist in vice-like grip. she
is now Hassan's--"
The sentence was never finished.
AS the Arab stepped back his foot
caught in the root Of tangled shrub.
throwing him violently forward, and