Evening star., 1924-10-05

find. jackal-at this gay trader" he
sneered. swept his torch around the
room-and prickled.
In the shadow between the bed end
and the wall he had seen something,
somebody, move.
He stepped cautiously towards the
nedend, sword point forwards, on
guard Who's therc?'
No answer. He lowered his torch.
1t was woman, crouchcd double,
swathed in a soiled haik. nothing but
her eyes showing. Ortho grunted.
Another horse faced mountain drudge,
work SCARED, weather-coarsened!
stand up" he ordered. She did
not move. DO you hear?' he snap
ped and made Il prick at her with
his sword.
She sprang up and at the same mo-
mcnt flung her hailt back. Ortho
started, amazed. The girl before him
was no more than IS, dark skinned,
slender. exquisitely formed. Her
thick raven hair was bound with an
orange scarf; across her forehead
was II hand Of gold coins and from
her ears hung coral earrings. She
wore two necklaces, one or frrtted
gold with sh-Shaped pieces dangling
from II, and 4 string of black beads
such as are made of pounded musk
ana amber. Her wrists and ankles
were loaded with heavy silver ban
giles Intricate henna designs were
traced halfway up her slim hands and
feet. and from wrist to shoulder pat
terms had been scored with Il razor
and left 10 heal. Her face was finely
chiSelcd the nose narrow and curved,
the mouth arrogant, the brows straight
and stormy, and under them her
great black eyes smoldered with dan
serouS fires.
orth" sucked in his breath This
burning, lance str iSht. scornfui
hcauly came out Of no hill village
An Arab this. daughter of whirlwind
horSein"n, darling rf some desert
ahcik. spoil Of the Tamgrout cara
vans
Well. she was his spoil now. The
niEht'S work would pay after all. All
else aside. there was at least "A hun
cred ducats Of jcwclry on her. He
would strip it now before the others
came and demanded share
Come here" he said, dropping his
sword.
The girl sloughcd slowly toward
him. pouting. chin tilted. hands clasp
ed behind her insoIently obedient:
stopped within two feet Of him and
stabbed for his heart with all her
might.
Had she struck less quickly and
with more stealth She might have
got home. Penhale's major asset was
that, with him, thought and action
Were one. He saw an instantaneous
Kicker of steel and iustantaneously
SWerVed. The knife pierced the
sleeve OF his kaftan below the left
shoulder. He grabbed the girl by
the wrist and wrenched it back until
she dropl ed the knife, and as ne did
this, with her free hand she very
nearly had his own knife out Of his
sash and into him-very nearly. But
that the handle caught in Il fold he
would have been done. He secured
both her wrists and held her at arms
length. She ground her little sharp
teeth at him, quivcred with rage,
hlazed murder with her eyes
Soldier" said Ortho to the dead
man behind him, now | know why
YOU look aStonished. Neither YOU nor
! expected to meet death in so pretty
L guise."
He spoke to the girl BE quiet
beauty. or / will shackle you with
your own bangles. Will you be
senSible?"
For answer the girl began TO strug-
gle, tugged at his grasp. wrenched
ths way and that with the frantic
abandon of a wild animal in a gin.
olt NdS dS supple as an eel, ana Tor
all her slimness, marvelously strong
Despite his superior weight and
power. Ortho had all he could do to
hold her. Bu' her struggles were
too wild 10 las: and a length exhaus-
tion Gained her. Ortho tied her
hands with The orange scarf and
began to take her jcwelry off and
cram it in his pouch. While he was
thus engaged she worked the scarf
loose with her teeth and made a dive
for his eyes with her long finger nails.
He tied her hands behind her this
time and stopped 70 pry the anklets
off. She caught him on the point Of
the jaw with her knee, knocking him