The Sheik

There was a way out that had been in her mind often, and she had

searched frequently in the hope that she might find the means. But the

Sheik had also thought and had taken precautions. One day it seemed as

if her desperate wish might be fulfilled, and she had had only a

moment's hesitation as she stretched out her hand to take the revolver

that had been left lying on a table, but as her fingers closed on the

butt a muscular hand closed over hers. He had come in with his usual

silent step and was close to her without her knowing. He had taken the

weapon from her quietly, holding her eyes with his own, and had jerked

it open, showing the empty magazine. "Do you think that I am quite a

fool?" he had asked without a trace of expression in his voice.

And since then she had been under a ceaseless, unobtrusive surveillance

that had left her no chance of carrying out her terrible resolve. She

buried her face in her hands. "Oh, my God! Is it never going to end? Am

I never going to get away from him?"

She sprang to her feet and walked restlessly round the tent, her hands

clasped behind her back, her head thrown up, and her lips pressed close

together. She panted as if she had been running, and her eyes had a

far-away, unseeing look. Gradually she got command of herself again and

the nervous excitement died down, leaving her weary and very desolate.

The solitude seemed suddenly horrible. Anything would be better than

the silent emptiness of the great tent. A noise outside attracted her,

and she wandered to the doorway and out under the awning. Near her the

Sheik with Gaston and Yusef stood watching a mad, ramping colt that was

being held with difficulty by two or three men, who clung to him

tenaciously in spite of his efforts to break away, and beyond was a

semi-circle of Arabs, some mounted and some on foot, leaving a wide,

open space between them and the tent. They were intensely excited,

talking and gesticulating, the mounted men riding round the outer ring

that they formed.

Diana leaned against one of the lances that supported

the awning and watched the scene with growing interest. This camp was

many miles to the south of the one to which she had first been brought,

and which had been broken up a few days after her capture. The setting

was wonderful, the far-off hills dusky in the afternoon light, the

clustering palms behind the tents, the crowd of barbaric figures in

picturesque, white robes, the horsemen moving continuously up and down,

and in the midst of everything the beautiful, wild creature, frenzied

by the noise, kicking and biting at the men holding him. After a moment

the Sheik held up his hand, and a man detached himself from the

chattering crowd and came to him salaaming. The Sheik said a few words,

and with another salaam and a gleam of white teeth, the man turned and

approached the struggling group in the centre of the ring.