shment, to entreaty. Cat and dancer were similar; Nihla, like
the Persian puss, knew when she had had enough. That was sufficient
for her: nothing could stop her, nothing lure her to return.

Beads of sweat were glistening upon the heavy features of the Count
d'Eblis. Von-der-Goltz Pasha, strolling near, did him the honour to
remember him, but d'Eblis seemed dazed and unresponsive; and the old
Pasha understood, perhaps, when he caught the beady and expressive
eyes of Ferez fixed on him in exultation.

"Whose is she?" demanded d'Eblis abruptly. His voice was hoarse and
evidently out of control, for he spoke too loudly to please Ferez, who
took him by the arm and led him out to the moonlit terrace.

"Mon pauvere ami," he said soothingly, "she is actually the propertee
of nobodee at present. Cyril, they say, is following her--quite ready
for anything--marriage----"

"What!"

Ferez shrugged:

"That is the gosseep. No doubt som' man of wealth, more acceptable to
her----"

"I wish to meet her!" said d'Eblis.

"Ah! That is, of course, not easee----"

"Why?"

Ferez laughed:

"Ask yo'self the question again! Excellenz and his guests have gone
quite mad ovaire Nihla----"

"I care nothing for them," retorted d'Eblis thickly; "I wish to know
her.... I wish to know her!... _Do you understand?_"

After a silence, Ferez turned in the moonlight and looked at the Count
d'Eblis.

"And your newspapaire--_Le Mot d'Ordre_?"

"Yes.... If you get her for me."

"You sell to me for two million francs the control stock in _Le Mot
d'Ordre_?"

"Yes."

"An' the two million, eh?"

"I shall use my influence with Gerhardt. That is all I can do. If your
Emperor chooses to decorate him--something--the Red Eagle, third
class, perhaps----"

"I attend to those," smiled Ferez. "Hit's ver' fonny, d'Eblis, how I
am thinking about those Red Eagles all time since I know Gerhardt. I
spik to Von-der-Goltz de votre part, si vous le voulez? Oui?
Alors----"

"Ask her to supper aboard the yacht."

"God knows----"

The Count d'Eblis said through closed teeth:

"There is the first woman I ever really wanted in all my life!... I am
standing here now waiting for her--waiting to be presented to her
now."

"I spik to Von-der-Goltz Pasha," said Ferez; and he slipped through
the palms and orange trees and vanished.

For half an hour the Count d'Eblis stood there, motionless in the
moonlight.

She came about that time, on the arm of Fe