s that appeared above the close-drawn line of her
yashmak. Of course she shrank from the life into which she was forced;
but it had its reward, for it kept her in close contact with her
husband, whom she almost worshipped. So, for a time, she was
proportionately happy; although, as the years passed by and her father
showed no inclination to bestow the coveted 'rich allowance' upon his
daughter, Ulchester's ardour began to cool. He no longer treated her
with the same affectionate deference; he neglected her, in fact, and, in
the end, even began to ill-use her.

"About two years ago, matters assumed a worse aspect. He again met Anita
Rosario, the Spanish dancer, under whose guidance he had first turned to
the halls for a livelihood, and once more took up with her. He seemed to
have lost all thought or care for the feelings of his wife, for, after
torturing her with jealousy over his attentions to the dancer, he took a
house adjoining my own--on the borders of the most unfrequented part of
the common at Wimbledon--established himself and Zuilika there, and
brought the woman Anita home to live with them. From that period matters
went from bad to worse. Evidently having tired of the stage, both
Ulchester and Anita abandoned it, and turned the house into a sort of
club where gambling was carried on to a disgraceful extent.
Broken-hearted over the treatment she was receiving, Zuilika appealed to
me and to my son to help her in her distress--to devise some plan to
break the spell of Ulchester's madness and to get that woman out of the
house. It was then that I first beheld her face. In her excitement she
managed, somehow, to snap or loosen the fastening which held her
yashmak, and it fell--fell, and let my son realise, as I realised, how
wondrously beautiful it is possible for the human face to be!"

"Steady, Major, steady! I can quite understand your feelings--can
realise better than most men!" said Cleek with a sort of sigh. "You
looked into heaven, and--well, what then? Let's have the rest of the
story."

"I think my son must have put it into her head to give Ulchester a taste
of his own medicine--to attempt to excite his jealousy by pretending to
find interests elsewhere. At any rate, she began to show him a great
deal of attention--or, at least, so he says, although I never saw it.
All I know is that she--she--well, sir, she deliberately led _me_ on
until I was half insane over her, and--that's all!"

"What do you mean