o death; but she knew
she would not die. For death was rest, and there could be no rest
for her until the days of her slavery were accomplished. The sand
of the desert would henceforth be her portion. The taste of it was
in her mouth. The desolation of it encompassed her spirit.

Two scalding tears forced their way through her closed lids and ran
down her white cheeks. She did not stir to wipe them away. She
hoped he did not see them. They were the only tears she shed.

CHAPTER II

THE SKELETON TREE

"Ah, Mrs. Burke, and is it yourself that I see again? Sure, and
it's a very great pleasure!" Kelly, his face crimson with
embarrassment and good-will, took the hand Sylvia offered and held
it hard. "A very great pleasure!" he reiterated impressively,
before he let it go.

She smiled at him as one smiles at a shy child. "Thank you, Mr.
Kelly," she said.

"Ah, but you'll call me Donovan," he said persuasively, "the same
as everyone else! So you've come to Brennerstadt after all! And
is it the diamond ye're after?"

She shook her head. They were standing on a balcony that led out
of the public smoking-room, an awning over their heads and the open
street at their feet. It was from the street that he had spied
her, and the sight of her piteous, white face with its deeply
shadowed eyes had gone straight to his impulsive Irish heart.
"No," she said. "We are not bothering about the diamond. I think
we shall probably start back to Ritzen to-night."

"Ah now, ye might stay one day longer and try your luck," wheedled
the Irishman. "The Fates would be sure to favour ye. Where's
himself?"

"I don't know." She spoke very wearily. "He left me here to rest.
But it's so dusty--and airless--and noisy."

Kelly gave her a swift, keen look. "Come for a ride!" he said.

"A ride!" She raised her heavy eyes with a momentary eagerness, but
it was gone instantly. "He--might not like me to go," she said.
"Besides, I haven't a horse."

"That's soon remedied," said Kelly. "I've got a lamb of a horse to
carry ye. And he wouldn't care what ye did in my company. He
knows me. Leave him a note and come along! He'll understand.
It's a good gallop that ye're wanting. Come along and get it!"

Kelly could be quite irresistible when he chose, and he had
evidently made up his mind to comfort the girl's forlornness so far
as in him lay. She yielded to him with the air of being too
indifferent to do otherwise.