d crumbled, the line wavered, and was depressed, and
though the water was not visible the high lateen sails of the native
boats, going southward in the sun, showed themselves to her strangely
behind the fretwork of the leaves. At her approach a hoopoo rose and
flew away above the trees. Somewhere a lark was singing.

In the arbour was spread an exquisite prayer-rug, and for her there was
a low chair, with a cushion before it for her feet. On a table was
Turkish coffee. In silver boxes were cigarettes, matches, soft
sweetmeats shrouded in powdered sugar, through which they showed
rose-colour, amber, and emerald green. At the edge of the table, close
to the place where the chair was set, there was a pretty case of gilded
silver, the top of which was made of looking-glass. She took it up at
once.

"What is in this?" she said.

He opened the case, and showed her gravely a powder-puff, powder, kohl,
with a tiny blunt instrument of ivory used in Egypt for its appliance, a
glass bottle of rose-water, paste of henna, of smoke-black with oil and
quick-lime, and other preparations commonly used in the East for the
decoration of women. She examined them curiously and minutely, then
looked up at him and smiled, thinking of Nigel's gentle but ardent
protest. Yes, she could be strangely at home with Baroudi. But--now to
turn inside out that long glove.

She sat down and put her feet on the cushion. Baroudi was instantly
cross-legged on the rug. Dressed as he was, in European clothes, he
ought to have looked awkward, even ridiculous. She said so to herself as
she gazed down on him; and she knew that he was in the perfectly right
posture, comfortable, at his ease, even--somehow--graceful. And, as she
knew it, she felt the mystery of his body of the East as sometimes she
had felt the mystery of his mind.

"Will you take coffee after your ride?" he said.

"Yes. Don't get up. I will pour it out, and give you yours."

She did so, with the smiling grace that had affected Nigel, had even
affected Meyer Isaacson. She put up her veil, lifted the gilded case,
looked at herself in the mirror steadily, critically, took the
powder-puff and deftly used it. She knew instinctively that Baroudi
liked to see her do this. When she was satisfied with her appearance she
put the case down.

"It is charming," she said, touching it as it lay near her cup.

"It is for you."

"I will take it away this evening."

She wished there was a big diamond