Evening star., 1923-01-10
lContinued from Yesterdays star.)

When first / came here, my lord"
she whispered. there was nothing
else you could think Of"
His attention came back to her.
You We're very pretty, Rayma," he
said trifle absently.
And am l not beautiful still?" she
asked quickly.
You're always picture" he
answered.
He talked as if to a spoiled child
who bored him.
Rayma hitched herself closer. until
her soft breast pressed against his
knee. But he remained silent. with
out look or caress, his gaze still on
the distant girl.
Tie was wondering whether he
would take Pansy out OF her pres
the harem might not make her
rcalizc to the fullest her own help
ieSSncSs and his complete supremacy.
I.eonora watched her master, her
dark eyes full of joy and malice.
There are some people who never
know when they're not wanted" she
remarked setto voce, and to no one
in particular.
Rayma cast Il renomous look at
| her. But Leonora only smiled at her
dae@er-like glauces.
can she dance, this new slave of
yours the Arab girl asked suddenly
she dances very nicely, he
answered i'm an indifferent manner.
AS we'll as | do?" she asked
jealously.
He thought of the snake-like writh-
ing Rayma called dancing"
She dances quite differently from
YOU"
Let us both dance before you
then. so that you may judge which is
the better of u.s." she said quickly.
However. he vetoed this neat ar
rauScment.
The girl has been wounded. And
she's still not strong enough for much
JiXrrtiou.
E;,yma brooded on this fact. and
the more she thought about ii, the
less She liked il.
'nh you capture her, on that
foray?' She asked presently.
she was part of my booty. he
said. lingering tenderness in his
voice.
Again Rayma was silent
Very quickly she put two and two
together.
The sultan had not been near the
harem since his return from that
quest for vengeance. And this new
clave had been captured during that
foray.
So this was the girl who had stolen
the sultans heart. Who had kept
him away from the harem all these
dreary weeks. The girl sitting there
who would not come near him;
whom he watched. yet did not go to.
RaYnra scrowled at Pansy's back.
Then She turned to one OF the
woreu attendants sitting. near.
Fetch that girl to me-" she said,
pointing to PauSH.
The wnmau rose. ready and anxious
to d" = favorite'S bidding.
But the sultan motiOned her down
again.
she comes at 40 ones bidding.
except mine" he said firmly.
Pouting, Rayma wriggled closer to
him.
May not even call herr" she
asked softly.
The rule applies to all here" he
replied.
Somewhat impatientlv he pushed
Rayma aside. Then he got to his
feet. and went toward Pansy.
His step behind her made the girls
heart start beating violently.
He was coming to issue some fur
ther ultim matum. Perhaps not an
uIt :matum even. but an order.
Parsy had wanted to see her captor,
10 plead for her father. Now that
he was there, the words refused to
pass her lips. To have asked any
favor Of him would have choked her.
Well. Panay. are you going to
marry me- he asked.
He might not have been there. for
all the notice she took of him.
Come he went on, in an authori-
tative manner. you must realize that
I'm supreme, and that you must obey
me-
Pansy realized this to the fullest
and the sense of her own helpless
ness only infuriated her. Since she
had no weapon she could turn on
hom except her tongue. she hit at
him with that. And she hit her
very hardest on the spot she knew
would hurt the most,
'EngliShwomen don't marry niggers,''
she said contemptuousy.
The word cut deep into his proud
spirit; all the deeper for coming from
her lips. Although he whitened under
the insult, the knowledge of his own
complete SupremacyS held his fiery
temper in check.
The marrying is just as you like"
lie replied. Forms and ceremonies
are nothing to me. but I'd an idea
you preferred them"
There was a brief silence.
With her face turned away Pansy
sat ignoring him entirely, leaving
him only a slender white neck,
cheek to study.
And the sultan studied them,
that anything so helpless
should dare to defy him.
You've not only yourself to con-
slider when you set me at defiance in
this manner" he remarked presently.
There's your father, and your
English friends"
His words brought Pansy's eyes to
him, fear in their velvety depths.
At her look he laughed.
Your kind heart has given me !
some hostages, Pansy," he said. But
nothing will happen to them for an
other week. I've given you that
much time to make up your mind.
Not longer. For my patience is
wearing very thin. And I've had a
lot where you're concerned. More
than | ever dreamt 1 was capable of.
In the meantime. my little girl, try
and remember I'm not quite the hope
less william you think me, or you
wouldn't have liked me, even for a
day
But just then it seemed to Pansy
there was no greater villain on earth |
than the Sultan Casim Ammeh.
.-.~ CHAPTER XXI
Early the next morning, when
Pansy was splashing about in the
praat undarpround tank a uoioa made