Ibrahim was worth, perhaps, a million dollars, Girzilla nothing; the Persian took rank as a pasha in his own land, while who knew anything about Girzilla?
The silver bands she wore round her arms and ankles betokened rank, but might not her father be a bandit, and bedecked his child with them?
Girzilla was well educated, but even that was an objection to Max’s mind, for he could not help thinking that, perhaps, she was educated to serve as a decoy for the robber band.
Sherif el Habib was surprised at the young American’s silence.
“If thou wouldst marry her yourself——”
“I, an American, marry an Arab?”
“My dear fellow,” said Sherif el Habib, earnestly, “you of all men oughtn’t to think her race an objection.”
“And why?”
“Simply because your minister to Teheran told me that the great strength of your nation laid in the fact that you declared and recognized ‘that all are born free and equal.’”
Max knew not what to say. He had been confronted with that very difficulty before.