able of anything.
She was possessed.... And men had died of such accidents before
that....

"May I speak?" he murmured, in a tone scarcely audible, yet
preserving somehow its flavor of sardonic amusement.

"Under your breath. One sound, remember--and I am a very good shot."

"But what a wife," he sighed. "All the talents--"

"I tell you that I will see him for myself. Take me to him, this
moment--"

"Shall I give orders and have him brought here? He is quite safe, I
assure you."

"Orders? If you summon a servant I will shoot. No, lead the way, and
I will follow you. And if you make one sound--one false move--"

Decidedly the girl was possessed. She stood there like a white image
of war, her hand on that infernal automatic.... He hesitated, gnawed
his mustache, then swung sullenly upon his heel.

Like some fantastic sculpture from an Amazonian triumph, they
crossed the long drawing-room, the erect, gilt-braided general
preceding, very slowly, the white-clad feminine creature, who held
one hand extended, with something boring almost into his shoulder
blades.

He did not lead her down the long stairs, past the guarding eunuch.
He took, instead, an inner way through the late supper room which
led down into the pillared hall of banquets. That way was safe of
servants now; crossing the pillared hall there were no more sounds
of late work from the service quarters beyond. Oblivious of the wild
developments of that wedding reception, the tired servants, stuffed
with the last pasty, warmed with the last surreptitious drop of
wine, were asleep at last.

Outside the door in the stone wall the bey took down the lantern
which so short a time before he had replaced upon its nail and
lighted its still smoking wick. He had not restored the key to
Yussuf, and he drew it now from his pocket and fitted it into the
lock, drawing back the door.

"These stairs are steep," he murmured. "I hardly like you to descend
them unaided, but if you insist--"

"Go on," she said imperiously.

Down he went, and after him she came, following the way he led her
down the long stone underground ways.

"We have, of course, very pleasant stairs down to our water gate,"
he murmured apologetically, "but since you prefer this way--really
not the way that I would have chosen to have you first explore your
palace, madame! These, you perceive, are the cellars and old
storerooms--"

"I do not want you to talk," she said urgently.

"But you wou