The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1941-08-21

information. Late one afternoon
Ronald at attacked by a Turkish
member of the crew named Ayub,
but escapes with slight cuts. Ca
milla and Ronald dine in the cap
tain's cabin. He tells her he will
disappear" when they reach
Alexandria.
DO you have to disappear?"
Camilla asked, "just now, when
you and I"
Il have to 60. have no choice"
She made no direct answer, but
went on in a moment cody, "and
I suppose you want me to go on
watching Asad?"
'No, not now after his propo-
sal"
''I'm sure he has behaved very
we'll with me-"
II think you couldn't count on
him if you went with him on a
caravan into the desert"
REALLY, -Ronnie, are you try
ing to make the idea attractive?"
'sNo. I abominate it. If you care
for me you won't take the risk" "
s'And if you care for me you'll
stick around and make the thing
impossible"
"PleaSe be reasonable. I know
I have no right to ask anything
of you.''
II can't stay"
She snubbed out her cigarette
in a receiver and said quietly,
$50 this is good-by."
He glanced at her once, quizzi-
cally, then took her in his arms.
''You're a cruel little devil" he
said, "but devastatingly sweet"
She kissed him as he wished.
you're a DEAR" she said, land I'll
never care for anybody else I'M
less"-and then she put string
in the tail of her speech unless
you stay away from me so long
that Asad runs off with me-"
It seemed strange to Camilla
for a pilot in tarboosh and what
seemed like an old-fashioned
frock coat to Chamber up the side
of a ship. It also seemed strange
to her that Kitty Trimble should
be laying her attractions to sud-
denly before Mahmoud Doaud,
whose father had been a nephew
of the Khedive. Perhaps, since
Asad had deserted her, she want
ed to show Camilla that there
were other fish in the sea.
Camilla and Slim stood watch
ing the rather soiled groups of
porters on the dock below who
waited to unload the Orizaba.
Camilla and Slim said their
farewells to Michael Gay, who
was to remain aboard the ship
and see his bus safely landed at
Beirut, and made their way down
the gangplank to the dock.
In the train the tour director
placed Camilla and Josie in the
compartment with Asad, Kitty
Trimble, Mahmoud and Slim Nc
Manus, a very lively party where
the budding flirtations of the
Orizaba had a chance to flower in
a different atmosphere. At tea
time Asad, who was now in his
element, ordered Turkish coffee
almost as heavy as molasses and
almost as sweet.
It was Asad's intention, appar-
emily, to make himself indispen-
sable to Camilla, and she accept
ed his attentions, trying to for
get the conditions his hospitality
might impose.
They dined we'll on special dish
es of Asad's choosing and then the
following morning Mustapha Ali,
the best dragonman in Cairo, took
them all out to see the relics of
Tutankhamen at the museum and
showed them through the bazaars.
Then at night out to the Pyra-
mids by moonlight in a string of
taxis. In the vehicle Asad's heavy
eyes watched Camilla with an al
most proprietary interest and she
permitted him to hold her hand.
He was more devoted to her than
ever and she lot none of her con-
fidence in her ability to keep him
under control.
'What were your relations with
Ronald Barker?" Joseph Asad
asked Camilla as they left the
procession of loaded camels and
donkeys in the city proper and
rolled along the avenue of palms
and villas toward their destina-
ton. "Had you met him or heard
of him before he came aboard the
Orizaba?"
'Never. He was just pleasant