desirest him or not."

"Thou mistakest, oh Zorah."

"I do not mistake. If thou dost not yet know I am right, thou wilt know
before many days. When thou findest out all that is in his heart for
thee, remember our talk to-day, in the court of oranges."

"I will tell thee thou wert wrong in this same court of oranges when I
pass this way again without Si Maieddine."

The Ghuara girl shook her head, until her curls seemed to ring like
bells of jet. "Something whispers to my spirit that thou wilt never
again pass this way, oh Roumia; that never again will we talk together
in this court of oranges."

XXXI

If it had not been for Zorah and her twin sister Khadijah, Maieddine
would have said to himself at Ouargla, "Now my hour has come." But
though his eyes saw not even the shadow of a woman in the Caid's house,
his ears heard the laughter of young girls, in which Victoria's voice
mingled; and besides, he knew, as Arabs contrive to know everything
which concerns others, that his host had daughters. He was well aware of
the freemasonry existing among the wearers of veils, the dwellers behind
shut doors; and though Victoria was only a Roumia, the Caid's daughters
would joyfully scheme to help her against a man, if she asked their
help.

So he put the hour-hand of his patience a little ahead; and Victoria and
he were outwardly on the same terms as before when they left Ouargla,
and passed on to the region of the low dunes, shaped like the tents of
nomads buried under sand, the region of beautiful jewelled stones of all
colours, and the region of the chotts, the desert lakes, like sad,
wide-open eyes in a dead face.

As they drew near to the Zaouia of Temacin, and the great oasis city of
Touggourt, the dunes increased in size, surging along the horizon in
turbulent golden billows. M'Barka knew that she was close to her old
home, the ancient stronghold of her royal ancestors, those sultans who
had owned no master under Allah; for though it was many years since she
had come this way, she remembered every land-mark which would have meant
nothing to a stranger. She was excited, and longed to point out historic
spots to Victoria, of whom she had grown fond; but Maieddine had
forbidden her to speak. He had something to say to the girl before
telling her that they were approaching another city of the desert.
Therefore M'Barka kept her thoughts to herself, not chatting even with
Fafann; for though she loved Victoria, she