hing the wide blue eyes before her, the parted lips, the white
cheeks in which the blood was slowly stealing back, and incredulity
gave way to astonished acceptance. "You don't know that, either?
That is very funny."

"Did you lock it?" was Arlee's next breathless question. "What was
that you said about putting in a magazine? Did you leave it open?"

The other girl reached quickly and caught her arm, as Arlee turned
toward the bed. "No, no, if it goes shut we cannot open it inside,"
she warned. "It does not open this side unless you have the key. It
opens from without. But he will not come in now--he is at the
Khedive's palace. We are all right."

"But I want to get away," cried Arlee. She turned upon this other
girl great eyes of pitiful entreaty, eyes where the dark shadows
about them lay like cruel bruises on the white flesh. "I must get
away at once. Won't you help me?"

"Help you? I would help myself, if I could. But there is no way out.
It is no use." The unknown girl spoke with a bitterness that brought
conviction. Piteously the flare of hope and spirit wilted.

"You are sure?" she questioned faintly. "There is no way out?"

"No way, no way!" The other shook her head impatiently. "Do I not
know? Let us talk of that again. Now I came to see you, to see what
pretty face had sent me packing!" She laughed, but there was
ugliness in the laughter, and catching up the candle she held it
before Arlee, her face impudently close, her eyes black darts of
curiosity.

"Well you are pretty enough," she said coolly. "Hamdi has always the
good taste. But do you think you will keep my room from me--h'm?"

"I do not want your room," said Arlee with passionate intensity.
"I do not want to stay here. I want only to go away. Oh, there must
be a way. Please help me--please." She choked and broke down, the
tears hot in her eyes.

[Illustration: "'I do not want to stay here'"]

The other girl abruptly drew her down on the couch and settled
herself beside her among the cushions. "Here--be comfortable--let us
be comfortable and talk," she said. "Do not cry so--What, you are so
soon sorry? You want to be off?"

Desperately Arlee steadied her shaking voice. "I must go at once."

"You got enough so soon?"

"Enough!" was the quivering echo.

"What you come for then?"

"Come for? I did not know what I was coming into. I thought--but
tell me," she broke off to demand, "tell me about the plague. Was
there any quarantine at