Argosy, Vol. 111, No. 1 — page 95: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THROUGH RABAT’S EYES. panse ahead was materialized into some city by that strange, eery cry which came floating on the still night: “ Allah il Alla-h! La ilaha il Alla-h! wa rasoo-| Mohamm-ed!”’ Fileen shuddered. Suddenly she felt rather than saw in that chant the soul of something, of these people perhaps which neither she nor her race could understand. Presently they came to a huge tower where armed creatures moved with dim lanterns in medieval fashion; gruff voices spoke as men-at-arms; and they clopped in stately measure up a cobbied street to another forbidding door. Within she was handed over to a volu- minous negress chattering volubly, who led her into this room where now she lay. In the great, tall doors had stood the slave in the light of a candle lantern, glass-domed in blue and green, silhouetted against the gleam of stars seen through foliage and cut in two by a misty flat roof, jabbering some requests or commands, Eileen did not know which. Tired, aching, hungry and fearful, did not care; but, turning from her, flung her weary young body upon the mattress to fall into the sleep of utter exhaustion. Whe was awakened by a hand pulling at her shoulder. Eileen blinked and stared. Some moments elapsed before she realized that the stout negress in front of her was not the figure of a dream. She sat up at the jerk of reality. The slave smiled good-humoredly, mut- tered unintelligible words, and began to pluck at the buttons of Eileen’s coat. The action seemed to clutch in a vague panic at her heart. She snatched at the black fingers and shrunk farther back upon the mattress. The slave gabbled volubly, and pointed to a pile of bright-colored clothes upon the floor in amused explanation. Eileen shook her head, merely understanding that the attendant required her to change into Moor- ish dress, a suggestion that was filled naturally with alarm. For a moment the slave appeared non- plused, grinned and jabbered good-natured- ly. More determinedly than ever Eileen shook her head again, and cuddled up apprehensively upon the divan. The woman seemed perplexed; gabbled more. Then, as 85 if struck by a new idea, she moved away, beckoning to the prisoner, pointing without. More from curiosity than anything else, Eileen scrambled off the mattress to her feet and followed to see what the woman wished to show her. The slave appeared more amused than ever; laughed and danced ahead along the outer veranda with a queer, shuffling gait. Eileen followed wondering. Past the plashing fountain with the blue tiles the woman led her and at a gaily painted door and made obvious signs that the quest was ended. Hesitatingly, but with curiosity still the more aroused, Eileen obeyed her; peeped within, and saw a cool, whitewashed room containing a replica of the blue-and-white tiled pool—a bath-house! The slave was quick to observe the flush of delight on Ejleen’s face. She grinned more extensively than ever, and beckoned with enthusiasm. Eileen glanced around without. The fountain sparkled in the morning sun, percolating through the orangery; not a body was within sight. The sleep had refreshed and given her some of her natural, reckless courage. Why not? She most ardently desired—and most needed forsooth—a bath. The water looked so clean and cool! She nodded. The slave spattered gut- turals, and applauded. Eileen pointed to the door. The slave disappeared. Swiftly Eileen disrobed. Just as she plunged into the delicious cool of the water a movement startled her. In the room was another slave, a slim, brown creature bearing a bronze bowl. ‘“Go away! Go!” exclaimed Eileen. But in reply the young slave explained her presence by the vision of a real cake of soap. For the moment Eileen was con- quered! The slave chattered and disap- peared. But when, glowing with the re- freshment, Eileen emerged, she found to her anger and dismay that instead of her European clothes was a pile of outlandish robes—trousers of emerald green—queer gowns of cobalt blue! For ¢ few moments she stared, aghast; she was angry and fearful of what the suc- cess of the trick portended, and had a queer misgiving, an uncertainty of her courage; comicloool.