however, nature
should have endowed you with the colouring of a desert sunset, if, in
short, you _can_ add a splash of colour to anything so colourful as a
native bazaar, then 'twere wise to do your sauntering under the wing of
a vigilant chaperon, so that the curiosity and interest resultant on
your splash may reach you obliquely and "as through a glass, darkly."

But there was no one to worry the girl at this hour before sunset, so
that little by little and quite unconsciously she moved forward until
she stood outside the doorway.

She stood, outlined against a background of blazing colours, which
served in no way to dim her beauty. Through the yellow-white arch of
the doorway showed a stretch of turquoise-blue sky across which, upon a
string, swung golden onions and scarlet peppercorns, whilst underneath
ruminated a fine, superbly indifferent dromedary.

For a moment Hugh Carden Ali, jogged by Fate, looked straight across at
the beautiful picture, staying his talk with Abdul, who, with the
courtesy of the East, did not turn his head as he stroked the breast
and head of the _shahin_ on his fist.

But Damaris, with envy rampant in her heart, had no eyes for mere man;
she wanted to walk across and get near the coal-black stallion from
Unayza, a district famous for its breed of large, heavy-built horses.
He stood impatiently, with an occasional plunk of a hoof on the sandy
stones, or nuzzled his master's sleeve, or pulled at it with his teeth,
whilst two shaggy dogs of Billi lay stretched out awaiting the signal
to be up and going, perhaps, in a sprint across the desert after the
_hosseny_ or red rascal of a fox which had been trapped and caged for
the sole purpose of hunting.

Ride out with the caged _hosseny_ on a thoroughbred camel or
thoroughbred horse, take with you a couple of greyhounds and a dog or
so from Billi, get right off the tourist track and let the red rascal
out, and see if you don't have some fun before breakfast.

Only get off the tourist track, else you will have all the bazaar
camels and ponies loping along behind you.

The only wild beast this afternoon for sale was a jaguar, black as ink,
smooth as satin, short, heavy, with half-closed green eyes fixed
steadfastly upon a plump white pigeon foolishly strutting just out of
reach of the steel-pointed claws.

"Take her upon thy fist, O Master," said Abdul of Shammar, as he
lengthened the jesses, the short, narrow straps of leather or woven
s