"And he's going to hand you over--What sort is this Hamdi?"

"A general. Old. Evil enough to lay traps to obtain me."

"It's abomination." The anger in the young man surged beyond his
control. "You must not do it.... If your father is clever enough to
break a law let him be clever enough to mend it--by himself. Such a
sacrifice is not required.... You must realize what this means to
you. You must realize--Look here, I'll help you. I'll plan some
escape. There must be ways. I have friends--"

She stifled the leap of her heart. She held her head high and made
what she thought was a very noble little speech. "It is for my
father, monsieur. You do not understand. It is to save my father."

He looked at her in silence. He was afraid to answer for a moment;
he could feel the unruly blood beating even in the lips he pressed
together.

"But don't you understand--" he blurted at last and broke off.

After all, he did not know this girl. If he swayed her judgment now,
and dragged her away, what life, what compensation could he offer
her? How did he know that she would not regret it? Would she be
happier in a world unknown?....

She had been brought up to this sort of thing. It was bred in
her.... Marriage was her inevitable game. This very charm she
exercised, this subtle, haunting invasion of his senses, what was
that but another proof of the harem existence where all influences