shade thy head from the sun, or perchance is it a dwelling of
comfort for those who pass East and West?"

By this time the oriental's head was bobbing like a mandarin's, whilst
in a spasm of terror his mouth opened and shut unceasingly.

"Find thy tongue, O! fool, before I turn thee from the door. Hast thou
aught of entertainment, and hast thou other than this mud thou callest
coffee? Speak I say!"

With a gulp which served to clench Hahmed's fingers, the wretched
Achmed vowed he had music of a kind and dancers of sorts, and that at
that moment his first wife was preparing a brew surpassed only by that
drunk in the Gardens of Delight by the chosen of Allah, who had passed
to their well-earned rest.

"Choose, O! my guest! doubtless they will both be as forlorn as this
coffee, for which I crave thy forgiveness--our business is at an end,
and some hours stretch unendingly before us."

Ali 'Assan, dying to satisfy his cross-bred inquisitiveness which, with
the curiosity of Egypt entire, had been aroused by the strange rumours
of some catastrophe happened in his host's household, had not the
slightest desire for bed, rather would he have sat up for an entire
week of nights, if only be could have got an inkling of the truth; so
he plumped for music and dancing whilst his host sat motionless, the
light of the hanging lamps throwing strange shadows on the stern,
relentless face.

Hahmed the Arab, it is true, sat upon the cushions in the dingy room;
you would have certainly touched a human body if you had laid a hand
upon his arm, but by an effort of will which left him sitting
absolutely motionless with half-closed eyes, he, in spite of the heat,
the irritation of his guest's presence, and all that went to make the
evening intolerable, had sent his spirit, or soul, or what you will,
adrift, searching for his beloved; so unutterable was his longing, so
wracked was his heart with love, so utter was his detachment, that
neither piping of reed, twanging of stringed instrument or patter of
feet could bring him back to his surroundings.

And then under some unexplainable impulse Hahmed turned his head
slowly, looking across the shoulder of his guest to the door behind,
and his eyes glowed like fires in the darkness of night as in the
doorway he saw framed the face of her for whom body and soul craved.
The face was pale even unto death, but the red mouth smiled softly, and
the golden curls clustered and twisted as they had