"And I am not accustomed to obeying orders," she retorted fiercely,
though her lips were trembling.

"You will learn." The sinister accent of his voice almost shattered her
remaining courage.

She crouched, gasping, on the ground, the same horrible terror that had
come to her last night stealing over her irresistibly, paralysing her.
Waiting, listening, agonising, the tom-tom growing louder and
louder--or was it only the throbbing in her own head? With a choking
cry she leaped to her feet suddenly and fled from him, back till the
side of the tent stopped her and she stood, with wide-flung arms,
gripping the black and silver hangings until he reached her.

Stooping he disengaged her clinging fingers from the heavy drapery and
drew her hands slowly together up to his breast with a little smile.
"Come," he whispered, his passionate eyes devouring her.

She fought against the fascination with which they dominated her,
resisting him dumbly with tight-locked lips till he held her
palpitating in his arms.

"Little fool," he said with a deepening smile. "Better me than my men."

The gibe broke her silence.

"Oh, you brute! You brute!" she wailed, until his kisses silenced her.