doorway. His back was turned, and he was giving orders to a number of
men who stood near him, for she could hear their several voices; and
shortly afterwards half-a-dozen small bands of men rode quickly away in
different directions. For a few moments he stood talking to Yusef and
then came in. At the sight of him Diana shrank back among the soft
cushions, but he took no notice of her, and, lighting a cigarette,
began walking up and down the tent. She dared not speak to him, the
expression on his face was terrible.

Two soft-footed Arab servants brought a hastily prepared supper. It was
a ghastly meal. He never spoke or showed in any way that he was
conscious of her presence. She had had nothing to eat all day, but the
food nearly choked her and she could hardly swallow it, but she forced
herself to eat a little. It seemed interminable until the servants
finally withdrew, after bringing two little gold-cased cups of native
coffee. She gulped it down with difficulty. The Sheik had resumed his
restless pacing, smoking cigarette after cigarette in endless
succession. The monotonous tramp to and fro worked on Diana's nerves
until she winced each time he passed her, and, huddled on the divan,
she watched him continually, fascinated, fearful.

He never looked at her. From time to time he glanced at the watch on
his wrist and each time his face grew blacker. If he would only speak!
His silence was worse than anything he could say. What was he going to
do? He was capable of doing anything. The suspense was torture. Her
hands grew clammy and she wrenched at the soft open collar of her
riding-shirt with a feeling of suffocation.

Twice Yusef came to report, and the second time the Sheik came back
slowly from the door where he had been speaking to him and stopped in