wn to thy European
friends. It is for his sake especially that I ask thy silence; and
whatsoever might bring harm to him--if he be still upon the earth--would
also harm thy sister. Wilt thou give me thy word, O White Rose of
another land, that thou wilt keep thine own counsel?"

"I give thee my word--and with it my trust," said the girl.

"Then I swear that I will not fail thee. And though until I have seen my
cousin I cannot speak positively, yet I think what I can do will be more
than any other could. Wilt thou hold thyself free of engagements with
thy European friends, until I bring news?"

"I have promised to lunch to-morrow with people who have been kind, but
rather than risk a delay in hearing from thee, I will send word that I
am prevented from going."

"Thou hast the right spirit, and I thank thee for thy good faith. But it
may be well not to send that message. Thy friends might think it
strange, and suspect thee of hiding something. It is better to give no
cause for questionings. Go then, to their house, but say nothing of
having met me, or of any new hope in thine heart. Yet let the hope
remain, and be to thee like the young moon that riseth over the desert,
to show the weary traveller a rill of sweet water in an oasis of date
palms. And now I will bid thee farewell, with a night of dreams in which
thy dearest desires shall be fulfilled before thine eyes. I go to my
cousin, on thy business."

"Good night, Sidi. Henceforth my hope is in thee." Victoria held out her
hand, and Si Maieddine clasped it, bowing with the courtesy of his race.
He was nearer to her than he had been before, and she noticed a perfume
which hung about his clothing, a perfume that seemed to her like the
East, heavy and rich, suggestive of mystery and secret things. It
brought to her mind what she had read about harems, and beautiful,
languid women, yet it suited Si Maieddine's personality, and somehow did
not make him seem effeminate.

"See," he said, in the poetic language which became him as his
embroidered clothes and the haunting perfume became him; "see, how thine
hand lies in mine like a pearl that has dropped into the hollow of an
autumn leaf. But praise be to Allah, autumn and I are yet far apart. I
am in my summer, as thou, lady, art in thine early spring. And I vow
that thou shalt never regret confiding thy hand to my hand, thy trust to
my loyalty."

As he spoke, he released her fingers gently, and turning, went out of
t