“Islam?” she broke in, shivering. “What is Islam?”
“In other words, the Mahommedan religion, which they wished me to accept.”
“And you let them do—those dreadful things to you rather than pretend to be a Mahommedan for a few days?”
“Of course,” he answered, with a kind of sullen pride. “What did you expect of me, Edith?”
“I? Oh, I don’t know; but it seems so terrible. Well, and who rescued you?”
“Some women in authority whom I had befriended. They came at the head of their tribesmen and killed the Arabs, and took me to their home and nursed me back to life.”
She looked up quickly.
“We heard about them,” she said; “one was young and beautiful; if a savage can be beautiful, was she not?”
“Yes,” he answered indifferently, “I suppose that Mea was beautiful, but she is not a savage, she is of much more ancient race and higher rank than ours—the lady Tama. I will tell you all about her some time.”
“Ah!” exclaimed Edith, “but I don’t know that she interests me.”