nths she had listened to the
monotonous chant of the men at work, the tap of hammer, swish of saw,
and dull thud of machinery, and also to the grunting and grumbling of
the camels who, in great caravans from every point of the compass, had
complainingly brought their burdens of riches.

The groves of great date palms around her temporary abode had prevented
her from seeing the outcome of all the noise, her misplaced pride or
temper, or whatever you will, likewise preventing her from inquiring as
to the progress made from the Arab, who, at her bidding, would come and
sit with her, talking gravely upon absolutely indifferent subjects,
neither showing by word or gesture if she were any more to him than the
rug beneath his feet.

Just a mouth ago, when the moon was at the full, Jill had made what she
whimsically called the moon-light flitting.

Veiled closely, she had put her hand into that of the man, and
confidingly walked with him through the pitch blackness of the palm
groves, and out into the moon-filled space beyond the lake, until they
reached and stopped before a heavy iron door let into a massive wall,
the top of which bore a crown of flashing, razor-edged, needle-pointed
steel blades.

"The treasure of the world will be safe behind those walls, for behold,
there are but two golden keys with which to open the door, one is yours
the other mine. To Mustapha has been confided the safe-keeping of the
walls, and with it power to kill whoever should approach within ten
yards without your permit."

And the girl turned quickly as the door swung to softly, with the
scarcely perceptible click of a lock, and then moved forward with as
much indifference as she could muster on the spur of the moment,
feeling the eyes of the Arab upon her. Gardens stretched before her
with groves, and arbours, and every device conceivable for throwing
shade upon her path. The stream, bending in an S, rippled and laughed
its way under the little bridges; fountains splashed, seats of marble,
seats of scented wood, little tables, silken awnings and screens,
hanging lanterns of many colours, and swinging hammocks made of the
place a fairyland; until suddenly, as she turned the last curve of the
stream, she saw the marble building, built as it were by the waving of
a magic wand, glistening in the silver light.

Imagine four buildings about the height of Buckingham Palace, without
the attic windows, or whatever they represent, built to form