“Who knew me ever to be anything but harsh?” he said.
“What I desire to know is if Stolburst is in your power?”
“Would you like to know, that you might tell the detective?”
The girl blushed.
“Uncle,” she said, “I am quite as anxious you should succeed in this matter as you can possibly be.”
Ajeeb looked hard at her.
“I will tell you this much,” he said, “the man has already begun to feel the punishment I designed for him.”
Zulima shuddered. All the kind acts Stolburst had performed for her passed in rapid succession before the girl’s mind.
She knew he was not dead. Might not the unfortunate man be dying by painful and slow degrees?
Ajeeb had sworn to torture him to death, and Ajeeb always carried out his purpose, at least, so she had been taught. The high priest sneered at the emotion his niece took no pains to conceal.