,
she knew that any dreadful deed was possible in the darkness of the
secluded streets outside the house, in the garden below, or in the house
itself. But she did not despair. It was easier to win money by keeping
within the law than by breaking it. The Beg was a rogue, but money was
his fetish, and Marishka's bribe was the larger.

As the moments lengthened and the man did not return, hope ebbed, and
she grew anxious. The small metal clock on the table in the corner
indicated the hour. It was half-past eleven. In half an hour, if the Beg
had not delivered her note, Hugh Renwick would come to find her, unless!
She breathed a silent prayer--unless he had not yet reached Sarajevo!
For hours she had prayed that he had followed her, for that was the
proof of his devotion that her heart required of him; but now she prayed
just as fervently that he had not come. The notion of another attempt to
escape occurred to her, but when she got up and peered down into the
darkness of the stairway which led below, her courage failed her, and
she remembered the man at the foot of the other stair. Zubeydeh, too,
was near, and while she was planning, the woman passed into the Harim
and closed the door behind her.

She peered out of the window into the garden, searching its shadows for
signs of a guard, but all was quiet, except for the sound of whispering
voices, which might have come from the street or from the house
adjoining. In the dim light she watched the hour hand of the clock as it
slowly moved around the dial. Ten, fifteen minutes passed, and still she
heard no sound of footsteps. What if Hugh came while the Beg was absent
searching for him? She knew that there must be other men besides the
villain she had met at the foot of the stairs. What orders had the Beg
given his men? And what orders had he countermanded? The silence was
closing in upon her like a fog. She could not bear it. What if Hugh were
already at the foot of the stairs, waiting to knock upon the door of the
Harim as she had directed? The suspense was killing her. She rose
quietly and tried the door of the _dutap_ into the corridor which led to
the Harim. It was locked.

She staggered and clung to the wall to keep from falling. She saw it all
now. Goritz had intercepted the note she had sent by Yeva. _They_ were
in there--Zubeydeh, the Beg and his men, and perhaps Goritz, too,
waiting--waiting for the two knocks at the steps below. And then the
door would be opened