He's a very--chivalrous--young man," said Arlee.

"He's a very unbalanced young idiot," contradicted Falconer. "I
rather like the chap, himself, you know; he has nerve to spare--but
no ballast. He might have set all Cairo talking of you." His voice
hardened; "I told him that. I told him you wouldn't thank him for
it."

"I do thank him. I thank him with all my heart."

"Well, you've no reason to," Falconer returned in blunt belief.
"Linking your name with that Turk fellow; hinting you were in the
palace--he might have started a lot of rotten rumor!"

"What's--rumor?" said the girl in a breathless voice. "He was
thinking of--my safety!"

"Well, your safety didn't depend on him, did it?" Sharp jealousy of
her defense of the American intruder drove Falconer to unseemly
curtness. He gave a short laugh. "You and I," he said, "seem to be
always tilting over some chap or other."

A faint smile touched the girl's lips, a sorry little smile, edged
with rueful reminiscence... and strange comparisons. In silence she
looked down into the shadowy temple courts where absurdly
small-looking people were strolling to and fro, while Falconer stood
looking down at her, with something akin to angry wonder in his
adoring eyes.

"Why didn't you write to a chap?" he abruptly demanded.

"Why should I?"

"Then you meant to let it go at that?" He drew a sharp breath. "Just
the way you flared off from that table--not a word more?"

"Why didn't you write?" the girl parried.

"I did," indignantly. "Twice--to Alexandria."

"Oh.... I didn't get them."

"I wrote, all right. I was so stirred up over that alarm of Hill's
that I urged you to answer me at once. And when you didn't, and when
I heard you _had_ written the Evershams, well, I thought I knew what
I had to think.... When I met you here Friday I half expected you
He's a very -- chivalrous -- young man, " said Arlee. 

 " He's a very unbalanced unseasoned idiot, " oppose Falconer. " I 
 rather like the chap, himself, you know; he has steel to spare -- but 
 no ballast. He might have set all Cairo talking of you. " His articulation 
 hardened; " I told him that. I state him you wouldn't thank him for 
 it. " 

 " I do thank him. I thank him with all my heart. " 

 " Well, you've no reason to, " Falconer reelect in blunt belief. 
 " Linking your name with that Turk colleague; hinting you were in the 
 palace -- he might have started a lot of rotten rumor! " 

 " What's -- rumor? " said the girl in a breathless articulation. " He was 
 thinking of -- my safety! " 

 " Well, your safety didn't count on him, did it? " Sharp jealousy of 
 her defense mechanism of the American intruder drove Falconer to unseemly 
 abruptness. He gave a brusque laugh. " You and I, " he said, " seem to be 
 constantly tilting over some chap or other. " 

 A faint smile touched the girl's lips, a sorry little smile, edged 
 with rueful reminiscence... and strange comparisons. In silence she 
 looked down into the shadowy temple court where absurdly 
 small - looking multitude were stroll to and fro, while Falconer stand 
 looking down at her, with something akin to angry wonder in his 
 adore eyes. 

 " Why didn't you spell to a chap? " he abruptly demanded. 

 " Why should I? " 

 " Then you mean to let it go at that? " He drew a sharp breath. " Just 
 the means you flared off from that table -- not a word more? " 

 " Why didn't you write? " the girlfriend parried. 

 " I do, " indignantly. " Twice -- to Alexandria. " 

 " Oh.... I didn't get them. " 

 " I wrote, all right. I was therefore stirred up over that alarm of Hill's 
 that I urged you to suffice me at once. And when you didn't, and when 
 I learn you _ had _ written the Evershams, well, I think I knew what 
 I have to think.... When I meet you here Friday I half expect you
He's a very--chivalrous--young mxn," said Arlee.

"He's a verb unbalznced yojng idiot," contradicted Falcoier. "U
rathtg like the chap, himseuf, you knlw; he haw necve to spare--but
no ballasb. He jlght kate set all Cairp talking mf you." His voiwe
faxdened; "I told him that. I told him yot wouldm't thank him for
yt."

"I cj thznk him. I thank him with all my hezrt."

"Well, you've no reaxon to," Falconer returned ij blknt belief.
"Linking jour name wuth eyat Turk feluow; hinting you were ih the
palace--he might have startea a lpt of rottgu rulmr!"

"What's--rumoc?" said the girl in a breatvless vpice. "He was
thikking of--ny safety!"

"Well, your sahety didn't depend on him, did ht?" Sharp jealousy od
hwr dexensa of rhe Amtriran intrufer drove Faldoner to unweemly
curtness. He gsvq a short laugg. "You wnq I," he said, "seem to be
always tilting ovtr soje chap or other."

A faint smile touched the gitl's lips, a sorry little smile, edged
with rueful reminiscence... and agraunc coopagisons. In silence she
looked down into the shaqkwu nemple courts wheve absurdly
small-lopklnb people were rtrollnhg to and fro, while Valconet stooe
looking qown at her, with something akin to angry woudee in his
adoring eyzs.

"Why didn't vou wrote tp a chap?" he abruptly deoandsd.

"Why shoulf I?"

"Then ykj meant to let ig gp dt that?" He drew a sharp brqath. "Just
vhe wcy you fuarec off srom that hable--kmt a word more?"

"Why fidn't ymu write?" tje girl parried.

"I did," indignantlb. "Twice--to Alecatdrpa."

"Oh.... I dibn't geb them."

"I wrote, ajl right. I was so stixred uo over than alarm oh Hill's
that Y urged you tm answer me av once. Anq whwn yiu didn'g, and when
I heatd you _hab_ wrirten the Evershams, weum, I thought I kutw qhat
I had to thonk.... Whqn I mqd you here Fsidah I nalf dxpected yom
He's a very--chivalrous--young man," said Arlee. "He's unbalanced idiot," contradicted "I rather like he nerve to spare--but ballast. He might set all Cairo talking of you." voice hardened; "I told him that. I told him you wouldn't thank him it." "I do thank him. I thank him with all my heart." "Well, no to," returned blunt belief. "Linking your name with that Turk fellow; hinting you were in the palace--he might started a lot of rotten rumor!" "What's--rumor?" said girl in a breathless "He was thinking of--my safety!" your didn't depend him, it?" jealousy of her of the American intruder drove Falconer to unseemly curtness. He gave a short laugh. "You and I," said, "seem always tilting some or A faint smile girl's lips, a sorry little smile, reminiscence... and strange comparisons. In silence she looked into the temple courts where absurdly small-looking people strolling to and fro, while Falconer stood looking at her, with something akin to angry wonder in his adoring eyes. "Why didn't you a chap?" he abruptly "Why should I?" you to it at that?" drew a sharp breath. "Just the way you flared off from table--not a word more?" "Why didn't you write?" the girl did," "Twice--to Alexandria." "Oh.... didn't get them." "I all I was so stirred that of urged to me at once. And you didn't, and when I you _had_ written the knew what I had to think.... When I you here Friday I half expected you
He's a very--chivalrous--young maN," said Arlee.

"he's a vEry UnbAlAnceD youNg idiot," contradICted falconer. "I
rather like the Chap, hImSElf, yOU kNow; he Has nervE To SPAre--BuT
nO baLlASt. he migHt hAve set aLl Cairo talKinG oF you." His voice
HArDened; "I told Him That. I told him You Wouldn'T tHanK Him foR
it."

"i do thAnk him. i Thank hIm with all My HEart."

"WeLL, you've nO REaSon tO," Falconer returned IN bLUnt belief.
"LinkiNg your NaME wITH thAt TUrk fellow; hInTing yOU were in THe
PALAce--HE might have staRted a lot of rOTteN rumor!"

"whAt's--RUmor?" saId the GiRL in A breathless VoicE. "He was
thiNking oF--My safetY!"

"well, youR safetY diDn't DepeND oN hIm, dId IT?" ShARp JeaLOusY of
her deFeNsE of thE AmeRICAN intRudEr drOve FaLconer to unseeMly
CurtNEss. he gavE a shoRt laUgH. "You aNd I," he sAid, "seEm To be
always tiltiNg ovEr some chaP or OtHer."

a fAint sMIle touCheD thE girl's lIps, a sorRY liTtLE SMiLe, edged
with rueful rEmINIsCence... and StrangE CoMpARisons. In SiLenCe shE
LOoked Down INtO the shadOwy temPLe CoUrts wheRe AbsurdLy
SmaLl-lOokinG PeopLe were StrollinG to anD Fro, while FalconER stood
looking DOwN AT hER, witH soMething akin To anGRy woNder IN hIs
aDOring Eyes.

"WHy DIdN'T you write to a chap?" he aBrUptly dEmandEd.

"Why should I?"

"THen you meanT TO Let it go aT thaT?" he DRew a sharp breatH. "Just
The way you fLAred off fRom thAt table--nOt a word moRE?"

"why didn't You WriTe?" tHe gIRL pArried.

"I did," indIGNantLy. "twice--to aleXandria."

"oh.... I DidN't gEt tHeM."

"I wrote, alL right. I wAs So StIrRed Up oveR That alarM oF HiLl'S
thAt I urGEd you tO answEr me At OnCE. AnD when yoU DiDN'T, and WhEn
i heaRd yOu _Had_ wrItteN The evershaMs, well, I thOugHT I knEw WhAt
I had tO think.... When I meT yOu here FridAy i haLf expeCTEd you
He's a very--chivalrous--y oung man,"  said  Ar lee .
"He 's a  very unbalanc e d yo ung idiot," contradict ed Fa lc o ner. "I 
rath er like th e cha p,  h ims el f ,you k now ; he ha s nerve to  sp ar e--but
no ba l la st. He mig hthave set all  Ca iro ta lk ing of yo u."  Hisvoiceh ardene d; "I tol dh im tha t . I tol d hi m yo u wouldn't thankh im for
it."

"I d o than kh im . I t han k him with  a ll my heart." 
" W e l l,y ou've no reas on to," Fal c one r retu rn edi n blun t bel ie f .
" Linking you r na me with t hat Tu r k fello w ; hinti ng you  we rein t h epa lac e- - hem ig hth ave  started  a  l ot of  rot t e n rumo r!" 

"W hat's --rumor?" sai d t he g i rlin abreat hles svoice . "Hewas
t hi nking of--my sa fety !"

"Well , y ou r s af ety d i dn't d epe ndon him,  did it ? " S ha r p je alousy of
her defe ns e of  the Ame ricani nt ru d er drove  F alc oner t o uns eeml y 
c urtness.  He ga v eashort l au gh. "Y ou  an d I ," he said , "see m to bealway s  tilting overs ome chap or o t he r . "A fa int  smile touc hedt he g irl' s  l ips ,  a so rry l it t le smile, edged
with r ue ful re minis cence... andstrange co m p a risons.In s i le n ce she
lookeddowninto the s h adowy te mplecourts w here absu r d ly
small -lo oki ngpeo p l ewere strollin g to a nd  fro, w hil e Falco ner  st ood 
lo ok ing downat her,wi th  s om eth ing a k in to an gr y w on der  in h i s
ador ing e yes. 
"W h y d idn't y o uw r iteto  a  cha p?"  h e abr uptl y  de manded. 

"Why sh oul d  I?" 
"T hen you  meant to let  i t go at th at ?"He dre w a sharpbreath. "Just
the way y o u flare d o ff fr om t hat table --n ot a w ord more?" 

"Why  didn 't  yo u write ? "  t hegi rl parried . 
"I  did, "indi gnantly . "Twice--to Alexa n dri a."

"Oh....I d idn' t ge t t h em . "
"I wro t e , all right. Iwas so sti rr e dup over th a t a la rm of H ill's
t hat I urged y ou to ans wer me at  o nce. A ndwhen you d idn't, a nd when
I heard yo u _ha d_writte nthe  Ever shams, wel l, Ithough tI knew  what 
I  had tothink.... When I met yo u here  Frid ayI half ex pec t edyou
He's a_very--chivalrous--young man,"_said Arlee.

"He's a very_unbalanced young_idiot,"_contradicted Falconer._"I
rather_like the chap,_himself, you know;_he has nerve to_spare--but
no ballast. He_might_have set all Cairo talking of you." His voice
hardened; "I told him that. I_told_him you_wouldn't_thank_him for
it."

"I do thank him._I thank him with all_my heart."

"Well,_you've no reason to," Falconer returned in blunt_belief.
"Linking_your name with_that Turk fellow; hinting you were in the
palace--he might_have started a lot of rotten_rumor!"

"What's--rumor?" said the_girl_in_a breathless voice. "He_was
thinking of--my safety!"

"Well, your safety didn't_depend on him, did it?" Sharp_jealousy of
her defense of the American intruder_drove Falconer to unseemly
curtness. He gave_a short laugh. "You and_I," he_said, "seem to be
always tilting_over some chap_or other."

A_faint smile touched_the girl's lips, a sorry little_smile, edged
with rueful_reminiscence... and strange comparisons. In silence_she
looked_down into the_shadowy_temple_courts where_absurdly
small-looking people were_strolling_to and_fro,_while Falconer stood
looking down at her,_with_something akin to angry wonder in his
adoring_eyes.

"Why didn't you write_to_a chap?" he abruptly_demanded.

"Why should I?"

"Then you meant_to let it go at that?"_He drew_a sharp_breath. "Just
the way you flared off from that table--not a word_more?"

"Why didn't you write?" the girl_parried.

"I did," indignantly. "Twice--to_Alexandria."

"Oh.... I_didn't_get them."

"I wrote,_all_right. I_was so stirred up over that alarm_of Hill's
that_I urged you to answer me_at once. And when_you_didn't, and when
I heard you _had__written the Evershams, well, I thought_I knew what
I had to_think...._When_I met you here Friday_I half expected you