her brain were open to her sister's eyes, like the exposed
mechanism of a clock.

"Noura has brought some food for you," she went on hastily. "You must
eat a little, before you go to bed--to please me."

"I will," Victoria assured her. "You mustn't worry about me at all."

"You'll go to sleep, won't you?--or would you rather talk--while you're
eating, perhaps?"

The girl looked at the woman, and saw that her nerves were racked; that
she wanted to go, but did not wish her sister to guess.

"You've talked too much already," Victoria said. "The surprise of my
coming gave you a shock. Now you must rest and get over it, so you can
be strong for to-morrow. Then we'll make up our minds about everything."

"There's only one way to make up our minds," Saidee insisted, dully.

Victoria did not protest. She kissed her sister good-night, and gently
refused help from Noura. Then Saidee went away, followed by the negress,
who softly closed the door between the two rooms. Her mistress had not
told her to do this, but when it was done, she did not say, "Open the
door." Saidee was glad that it was shut, because she felt that she could
think more freely. She could not bear the idea that her thoughts and
life were open to the criticism of those young, blue eyes, which the
years since childhood had not clouded. Nevertheless, when Noura had
undressed her, and she was alone, she saw Victoria's eyes looking at her
sweetly, sadly, with yearning, yet with no reproach. She saw them as
clearly as she had seen a man's face, a few hours earlier; and now his
was dim, as Victoria's face had been dim when his was clear.

It was dark in the room, except for the moon-rays which streamed through
the lacelike open-work of stucco, above the shuttered windows, making
jewelled patterns on the wall--pink, green, and golden, according to the
different colours of the glass. There was just enough light to reflect
these patterns faintly in the mirrors set in the closed door, opposite
which Saidee lay in bed; and to her imagination it was as if she could
see through the door, into a lighted place beyond. She wondered if
Victoria had gone to bed; if she were sleeping, or if she were crying
softly--crying her heart out with bitter grief and disappointment she
would never confess.

Victoria had always been like that, even as a little girl. If Saidee did
anything to hurt her, she made no moan. Sometimes Saidee had teased her
on purpose, or tried to make her j