he does not matter--this one.
Forgive me if I think to let him go; but I am afraid----"

Fo-Hi crossed slowly, intercepting her.

"Ah!" said Miska, her eyes opening widely--"you are going to punish
me again! For why? Because I am a woman and cannot always be cruel?"

From its place on the wall Fo-Hi took a whip. At that:

"Ah! no, no!" she cried. "You drive me mad! I am only in part of the
East and I cannot bear it--I cannot bear it! You teach me to be like
the women of England, who are free, and you treat me like the women of
China, who are slaves. Once, it did not matter. I thought it was a
part of a woman's life to be treated so. But now I cannot bear it!"
She stamped her foot fiercely upon the floor. "I tell you I cannot
bear it!"

Whip in hand, Fo-Hi stood watching her.

"You release that man--for whom you 'care nothing'--in order that he
may bring my enemies about me, in order that he may hand me over to
the barbarous law of England. Now, you 'cannot bear' so light a
rebuke as the whip. Here, I perceive, is some deep psychological
change. Such protests do not belong to the women of my country; they
are never heard in the _zenana,_ and would provoke derision in the
_harems_ of Stambul.

"You have trained me to know that life in a _harem_ is not life, but
only the existence of an animal."

"I have trained you--yes. What fate was before you when I intervened
in that Mecca slave-market? You who are 'only in part of the East.'
Do you forget so soon how you cowered there amongst the others, Arabs,
Circassians, Georgians, Nubians, striving to veil your beauty from
those ravenous eyes? From _what_ did I rescue you?"

"And _for_ what?" cried Miska bitterly. "To use me as a lure--and beat
me if I failed."

Fo-Hi stood watching her, and slowly, as he watched, terror grew upon
her and she retreated before him, step by step. He made no attempt to
follow her, but continued to watch. Then, raising the whip he broke
it across his knee and dropped the pieces on the floor.

At that she extended her hands towards him pitifully.

"Oh! what are you going to do to me!" she said. "Let me go! let me go!
I can no more be of use to you. Give me back my life and let me go--
et me go and hide away from them all--from all ... the world...."

Her words died away and ceased upon a suppressed hysterical sob. For,
in silence, Fo-Hi stood watching her, unmoved.

"Oh!" she moaned, and sank cowering upon a _diwan--_ "why do you watc