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Show The Most Discussed Novel of the Year "THE SHEIK" By E. M. Hull (Copyright, Email. Maynard A Co.) Read It Here Today and Hereafter CHAPTER I. "Are 70a coming in to witch the dancing, Idy Conway t" "I moat decidedly am not. 1 thoroughly disapprove of the expedition of which thia dance in the inauguration. I coniider that even by contemplating auch tour alone into the desert with no ehaperon . or attendant of her own aex, with only najjve camel driven and aervants, Diana Mayo ia behaving with recklewmewi and impropriety that ia calculated to cast a slur not only on her own reputation, but alao on the prentige of her country. I blush to think of it. We English cannot be too careful of our behavior broad. No opportunity is alight enough for our continental neighbors to east stonea, and this opportuntiy is very far from, being alight. It is the maddest piece of unprincipled folly I have ever heard of." ' "Oh,' come, I.ady Conway! It'a not quite ao bad as all that. It la certainly . unconventional, and ar probably not quite wise, but remember Mlaa Jdayo's .Unuaual upbringing "1 am not forgetting her unuatial upbringing," up-bringing," Interrupted Lady Conway. "It baa been deplorable. But noenlng can axeuaa this scsndalous escapade. I knew her mother years ago, and 1 took It upon myeelf to expoatulate both with Diana and her mother, but Hlr Aubrey la hedged around with an egotlalleal complacency that would defy a pickax to penetrate. According Accord-ing ta him, a Mayo la beyond critlctem, and bis alstera reputation her own to deal with. The girl hereelf aeemed. frankly, not to understand tha aerloua-neaa aerloua-neaa of her poaltlon, and was very flip-pant flip-pant and not a little crude. I waab my bands of tbe whole affair, and will certainly not countenance tonight's entertainment en-tertainment by appearing at II. I have already warned the manager that If the nolee ta kept up beyond a rea eon-able eon-able hour I ehall leave the hotel tomorrow," to-morrow," And, drawing her wrap round her with a little ahudder, Idy Conway etalked majeetlrelly acroea the wide veranda of the Blekra hotel. The two men left standing, by the pea French window that led Into the hotel ballroom looked at each other and smiled. "Borne peroration." eald one with s marked American accent. "That's the way scandal's made, I gueaa." "Rcaadal be banged! There's never been a breath of scandal attached to Dlarua liayo's same. I've known the child alnoe aha waa a baby. Jtum little cuee she was, too. Confound that old woman 1 tiha would wrack the reputa-tloa reputa-tloa of tha Archangel Gabriel If he aama down to earth, 1st alone that of a. mere human girl." "Not a very human girl," laughed tb American. "Hhe waa sure meant , for a boy andwehanged at the laat mo-i mo-i anent. Bha looks like a boy In petti -' coata, a damned pretty boy and a damned f haughty one," be added, chuckling. "I overheard her this morn- In in tha garden,-making mlnesneal ' of a French officer." Tha Engllehtnan laughed. - "Beern maaJng love to her, I expect A thing aha doea not understand and ' waa't tolerate. Bhe'e the coldest little flab In tha world, without an Idea In bar head beyond aport and travel. Clever, though, and plucky as they are made, I don't think aha knows the meaning of tha word fear." "There's a queer streak In tha fam-, fam-, Hy. lan't there? I heard somebody yapping about It the othar night Father waa mad and blew his brains out, ao I waa told." Tha Englishman shrugged his shoulders. shoul-ders. "Ton can call It mad. If you like," he amid slowly. "I live nesr the Mayoa In Bnglaad. and happen to know the story, air John Mayo waa paaalonately devoted to his wife; sfter twenty years of married life they were still lovera. Then this girl was born, snd the mother died. Two hours afterward her husband abot hlmaalf, leaving the baby In tha sole cars of her brother, who waa Just IS, and aa laay and aa aelflsh tbea aa ha la now. The problem of bringing up a girt child waa too mucn trouble to ho aolved, ao ha settled the he wore In position, for It dropped continually. con-tinually. By contraat tha girl at hie aide appeared vividly alive. Hhe wee only of medium height snd very slander, slan-der, atsndlng erect with the eaay, vlg-oroue vlg-oroue carriage of an athletic boy, her amsll head polaed proudly. Her scornful scorn-ful mouth and firm chin ahowed plainly sn obatlnate determination, snd her, deep blue eye wen unusually clear and steady. Tha long, curling black laehea that ahaded her eyea and the dark eyeabrowa were a foil to tha thick crop f loose, red-gold curls that aha wore abort, clubbed about her ears. - - The reault la worth eeelng." aald the American admiringly, referring to hla companion's laat remark. A third and younger man Joined them. "Hallo, Arhuthnot. You're late. The divinity le ten deep In would be partners part-ners already." A dull red crept Into the young man's faca, and be Jerked hie head angrily. an-grily. "I got wsylsld by lady Conwsy poisonous old woman Hhe had a great deal to eay on the subject of Miss Msyo snd her trip. Hhe ought to be gagged. I thought aha waa going on talking all night, so I fairly bolted In the end. All the earns, I agree with her on one point. Why can't that lasy aas Mayo go with his slater?? Nobody aeemed to be able to give an answer. The band had begun playing, and the floor waa covered with laughing, laugh-ing, talking couplee. Hlr Aubrey Mavo had moved sway, snd his sister wss left standing with aeveral men. who waited, program in hand, but shs wsvsd them away with a little amlle and a resolute shake of her head. "Things aaem to be getting a hustle on," aald the American. "Are you going to try your luck?" ssked the elder of the two Englishmen. English-men. The American hit ths and off a clgsr with a llttls amlle. "I sure am not. The haughty young lady turned me down aa a dancer very early In our acquaintance. I don't blame her," he added, with a rueful laugh, "but her extreme candor still rankles Bha told me quite plainly that ehe had no uaa for an American who could neither ride nor dance. I did Intimate to her, very gently, that there were a few little openlnga In tha Rtatee for men beelde cattle punching and cabaret dancing, but aha fro xa me with a look, and I faded away. No. Blr Kgotlatlcal Complacen-. ey will be having aoma bridge later on, which will cult me much better. Ile'a not a bad chap underneath If you can awallow his peculiarities, and ha a a aportaman. I Ilka to play with him. Ha doean't care a ruin If he wins or loses." "It doesn't msttsr when you have a banking account tha else of hla." aaid Arbuthnot. "Personally, I find dancing dan-cing mora amualng snd less expenalve. I ahsll go and take my chance with our hostesa" j SINGED WINGS. 1 His syes turnsd rsther esgsrly towards ths snd of ths room whers ths girl wss standing alone, atralght and alltn, the light from an electrolier glld- and worked slowly round the room, hugging the wall, evading dancersand threading hla way through groupa of chattering men and women of all na-tionalltlea. na-tionalltlea. He came at laat to the raised dale on which Diana Mayo waa at 111 steading, and climbed up ths few steps to her side. "This Is luck, MIbb Mayo," he aald. with sn assursncs that he was fsr from feeling. "Am I really fortunate enough to find you without a partner part-ner V Phe turned to him slowly, with a little creaae growing between her arched eyebrowe, aa if hla coming were Inopportune and shs reaented the Interruption to her thoughta, and then she amlled quite frankly. "I aald I would not dance until everybody waa started." ahe aald rather, rath-er, doubtfully, looking over the, crowded floor. "They are all dancing. You've done your duty nobly. Don't mlaa this rip- I ping tune." he urged perauaslvely. I Hhe hesitated, tupping her program: I pencil against her teeth. "I refused a lot of men." she Bnld. ' not? My arrangements have been made aoma time. Why ahould I change my mind at the laat moment?" "Why does your brother let you go alone? Why doesn't he go with oti? Oh, I haven't any right to ask. hut I do ask." he broke out vehemently Hhe ehruggfd her ahotilders with a little laugh. "We fell out, Aubrey and I. He wanted to go to America. I wanted a trip Into the desert. We quarreled for two whole daya and half one night, and then we compromised. I ahould have tny deeert tour, and Aubrey ahould go to New York; and to mark hta brotherly appreciation of my gractoua promise to follow him to the Htntra without fall at the end nf a month he haa consented to grace my caravan for the flrat stage, and dla-nilaa dla-nilaa me on my any with hla blessing. tCnntlnucil tomorrow.) difficulty by treating her aa If she waaa boy. Tha reault Is what you - BROTHER AND SISTER. They moved nearer to tha open window, win-dow, looking Into the brlllantly lit ball, room, already filled with gaily chattering chat-tering people. On a slightly raised platform at ona snd ef the room the host and hoeteea were receiving their gueeta. Tha brother and slater were emgullarly unlike. Blr Aubrey Mayo waa very tall and thin, tha pallor of bis face accentuated by tha blackness f his smoothly brushsd hair and heavy black muatacha. His attitude waa a mixture of well bred courteey and languid lan-guid boredom. Hs seemed too tired even to keep the alngla eyeglass that Ing the thick bright curia framing her beautiful, haughty little faoe. Hhe was staring down at ths dancers with an absent expression. In her eyee, as If her thoughts were fsr away from ths crowded ballroom. Tha American pushsd Arbuthnot forward with a little laugh. "Run along, foolish moth, and get your poor little wings singed. When the cruel fslr haa dons trampling on you I'll come right along and mop up the remalna. If. on the other hand, your temerity meets with ths success It deserves, wa ran celebrate suitably later on." And, linking his arm In his friend's, hs drew him away to ths card room. Arbuthnot went through ths window wttn a grimace. i nen eoe laugoeu ; suddenly. "Corns slong, then. I nm ' noted for my bsd manners. This will only bs one extra sin." Arbuthnot danced well, but with the girl In his arms he seemed suddenly! tonguetled. They swung round the room seversl times, then halted almul- j taneoualy bealde an open window and ; went out Into the garden of the hotel,' Bitting down on a wicker Best under! a gaudy Japanese hanging lantern. The band waa still playing, ami for the moment the garden was empty, lit faintly by colored lanterna. festooned from thq palm trees, and twinkling lights outlining the winding paths. Arbuthnot leaned forward, his hantla clasped between his knees. "I think you are the moat perfect dancer I have ever met," he aald a little breathlessly. Mias Mayo looked at him seriously without a trace of self ronsrtnuaneea. "It la very eaay to dance If you have a mualcal ear, and If you have been In tha habit of making your body do what you want. Ho few people aeem to be trained to make their limbs obey them. Mine have had to do aa they were told alnce I waa a amall child." ahe anawered calmly. SILENCE REIONS. The unexpectedness of the reply scted sa a allencer on Arbuthnot for a few minutes, and the girt beelde him seemed In no hurry to break the Bilence. The dance waa over and the empty garden waa thronged for a little lit-tle time. Then the dancers drifted back Into the hotel ss ths band started again. "It'a rather Jolly here In the garden." Arbuthnot said tentatively. Hla heart waa pounding with unuaual rapidity, and hia eyea, that he kept fixed on hla own clasped hands, had a hungry look growing In them. "You mean that you want to alt out this dance with me?" ehe said with a boyish directness thst somewhat non-pluaaed non-pluaaed him. "Yea," he atammared rather foolishly. fool-ishly. Hhs held her program up to the light of the lantern. "I promised this One to Arthur Conwsy. Ws quarrel sverytlme we meet. I esnnot think why he asked me; he dlsspprovee of me even more than hla mother does-such does-such an Interfering old lady. Ha will be overjoyed to be let off. - And ' I don't went to dance tonight. I am looking forward ao tremendously to tomorrow. I shall atay and talk on you, but you must give ma a cigarette to keep me. In a good temper." His hand shook a little as hs held the match for her. "Are yon reslly determined to go through with this tour?" Shs stared at him la surprise. "Why |
