The Hawk of Egypt

but there are a thousand copies of it, and,

CHEFO

ng to the left of the tent, she walked slowly towards the door leading to the grounds, whi

more reading of horoscopes or hands that evening, and

ficent as the great Sestoris, who had stood well over six fee

de, he should have chosen just this occasion and this moment to allow a hint of aut

the girl coldly, as she shrugged t

r trail to the tent and sat growling at ev

ne," said Damaris, with a certain a

are too beautiful, you know. Let us sit here; it's lovely

" said Damaris, who w

e elbow and led her to the seat; and she sat qu

heart. "I can't stand any more to-night." And he, being over-sl

my wife, dear,"

ng the yashmak, looked up into his face, whils

e you. I want to marry you and take you right away home. Do you know, I-I don't kno

nd looked to the left, hesita

re about loving you, and, of course, one can

ssed little

an afterthought, "I'm so

his future wife is concerned and will come to you like a ready-made suit returned from the cleaner's. The Kelhams always marry young, and our brides are always v

t as stubbornly,

of you since I have been out; surely, if you love me so,

called himself every kind of a fool for having listened to

e who, refusing to take No as an answer,

er kind of a clutter those first cousins, obstinacy, stubbornness an

persisted the girl. "I want to k

want to know," replied the man, in the c

ow all about the

nt kinds, Damaris. Th

plain th

cinders in her sitting-room grate. The besmirched little face, like a sodden little pudding, had been covered with grimy han

ways pardinned. Well, miss, if you think it wise to force 'im, I'll do what you say, though it's not about meself

riding-whip in one hand, a special license in the other, and Wellington at her hee

real love, can be, to the tweeny maid, changing her into a ve

t. I'll get through my trouble, miss, all right, an' by meself, thanking you kindly for tro

s of others, she had snatched the special license from her young mistress, torn it into bits, flung it int

s are made by girls like me"-thumping of washed but still grimy hand above gallant little heart-"through swipes like you. Life's full of 'em down our way. But life's love, and love's life, and

tween the two, though the Egyptian night was as full

at last, "by that love which understand

ny's seventh-heaven glimpse of

the mastery, into his arms, where he

you in a-how shall I put it?-in-no matter how compromising a situation-that I should love you just the same, because I should know that, although to all

, as she lay still in the ar

hwomen do sometimes in the East. Supposing I searched, and found you, and you-you were-you were like the little tweeny girl. What should I

king any ex

Yes. Because

would for

d for forgiveness; the real, pure you

e blun

his love for Damaris, he had never given it a thought excepting to curse the awkwardness of his body and the slowness of his speech. He kne

the heavens, the grass under foot and the traditions of

r feet, when he could have won her and saved her and others, including himself

zed little feeling which falls upon

r," he said, watching for the flash of rel

you goin

t, remember, you have only to send for me, and I will come. And don't try to run away, Damaris." And his voice was stern as he took her by the shoulders and drew her towards him. "You are mine! I'm lettin

ry of the East, but I do offer you the biggest love th

s guests came stre

houted. "One o'clock.

ked slowly

erly, and stared amazed at the reproachful, hurt eyes whic

ower of his love behind her, from the top of which she could safely make monkey-faces

allroom, and he went back to the seat in the

th mind intent on a cigarette, slipped out of another door and hurried as

nuff-box, rasped a match on the sole of one little cr

and saw a man, an Arab,

he dark he had suddenly materialised i

vilege of giving lessons in morality, culture, good-breeding, m

ll but be accounted as one more eccentricity unto you; but in the shadows, an' you would retain the position of teacher to the world

an the sudden appearance of a n

from the snuff-box, rasped a match-not on the sole of her foot th

e said co

stars, or the lines of your jewelled hand, if in your grac

th me to my God and your God. What is past I know; what is, is; what is to be, is so near that, behold, sometimes in the stillness of

nderstanding in his own, so that, suddenly realising that her refusal had been taken for antipathy, she stretche

hen, of tho

r looked her stra

ll love. Yea! even though there are many upon the bridge who, having preceded thee, await thy coming, yet art thou s

re its time. Thou art not the only one to love the flower, wise woman. There is one also who loveth it and watcheth it and will pluck it in due season; there is yet another who loveth and watcheth, but from a great, great distance. If

istened, and smiled gently and lifting her hand pulled asid

thou woman of one great race; thou descendant of on

, perchance could a very wise, very old woman help thee in thy stress, for behold, sh

head as he gripped the litt

through me, her first-born, in my desert home. Her beautiful eyes are full of tears, she lifts not her head, and my father, whom I honou

owly to her feet, the m

eventide," she whispered as she raised her jewelled hand to his shoulders and pulled him down

her eyes, and turned towards the house, without noticing a man a

t, who had gained an easy admission under the se

nd the palms to stand, a shimmering bundle of silks and satins,

specially when the lady of your choice has just shown a certain lamen

ck, fair lady;

ed a cry of

had lifte

eb of beauty and desire and love, into which,

s offering him something outside her usual wares, and understanding also the danger of

," she urged. "My girls shall dance

at the thought of the means by whi

beautiful?

t and unwound her veils from about her, standing, palpita

pure loveliness of Damaris Hethencourt would have sho

at wil

others the farmyard with its rural sights and sounds. Thank goodness for it! Just imagine th

s season, shall resemble the d

as the majority

the decree go forth, and every one of us, at the end of a week or so, w

ed up, looked l

utiful-the most beautiful w

n a whirl of rage and scented veils

and down to the bottom of the scented garden, leaving a trail

r. All around it were cages in which were confined great beasts; and alcoves in which she and her guests

the flight of marble ste

l woman-its own mate being well-nigh as simian as itself-; it shuffled on its huge feet and pulled at its gaudy raiment with abnormally long fingers. The monstrosity had been nicknamed "Bes," after the monstrous dwarf god of Ancient Egypt, by someone-the n

re half

was mean. She was a niggard in th

r of the cages starved the beasts. Not that Zulannah cared one iota for th

er beside her, and laughed delightedly as the liberated lion f

den, growling softly, snuffing the air. Then, with heartrendi

. She laughed aloud and clapped her hands, standing

animal, and then with all its mi

her nerve. Without hesitating, she turned to the brazier at her side, carefully selected a hand

wful scene in which a woman safe behind bars

g that Zulannah's e