“Does he ever carry a threat out?”
Burt looked steadfastly into the girl’s eyes. She did not betray emotion, if she felt any.
“I have no means of knowing,” she said. “In our country, the men never take women into their council.”
The princess was very beautiful, but Burt believed her a trained prevaricator, for all that. Nothing was to be gained from her, as was evident, at that stage of the proceedings. If he had known the treatment to which Stolburst had been subjected, Burt would have arrested the princess as an accomplice of Ajeeb.
“Madame,” he said, taking his leave, “we shall meet again; and, if anything befalls Mr. Stolburst, I shall hold you responsible.”
Zulima smiled in his face. When the door closed behind her visitor, the smile departed, and she became sad.
Again the door opened. She looked toward it, expecting to see her maid. Instead of Marie, it was Ajeeb who entered.
“You have had a visitor,” he said, advancing toward her.
“Did you see him?”
“I have eyes,” replied the high priest. “His visit seems to have made you sad. Who is he, may I ask?”