more
necessary than he had at first supposed; he would be able to explain
why, fully and satisfactorily, when they met in the afternoon.

With this appointment to look forward to, it was natural that Victoria
should excuse herself to Lady MacGregor earlier than most people cared
to leave Djenan el Djouad. The girl was more excited than she had ever
been in her life, and it was only by the greatest self-control that she
kept--or believed that she kept--her manner as usual, while with Stephen
in the white garden of lilies. She was happy, because she saw her feet
already upon the path which would lead through the golden silence to her
sister; but there was a drawback to her happiness--a fly in the amber,
as in one of the prayer-beads she had bought of Jeanne Soubise: her
secret had to be kept from the man of whom she thought as a very staunch
friend. She felt guilty in talking with Stephen Knight, and accepting
his sympathy as if she were hiding nothing from him; but she must be
true to her promise, and Si Maieddine had the right to exact it, though
of course Mr. Knight might have been excepted, if only Si Maieddine knew
how loyal he was. But Si Maieddine did not know, and she could not
explain. It was consoling to think of the time when Stephen might be
told everything; and she wished almost unconsciously that it was his
help which she had to rely upon now.

XVIII

True to his word, Si Maieddine was waiting in Madame Constant's hideous
sitting-room, when Victoria returned to the hotel from Djenan el Djouad.

To-day he had changed his grey bournous for a white one, and all his
clothing was white, embroidered with silver.

"It is written," he began in Arabic, as he rose to welcome the girl,
"that the messenger who brings good tidings shall come in white. Now
thou art prepared for happiness. Thou also hast chosen white; but even
in black, thy presence would bring a blessing, O Rose of the West."

The colour of the rose stained Victoria's cheeks, and Si Maieddine's
eyes were warm as he looked at her. When she had given him her hand, he
kissed his own, after touching it. "Be not alarmed, or think that I take
a liberty, for it is but a custom of my people, in showing respect to
man or woman," he explained. "Thou hast not forgotten thy promise of
silence?"

"No, I spoke not a word of thee, nor of the hope thou gavest me last
night," Victoria answered.

"It is well," he said. "Then I will keep nothing back from t