Doolga stared at her, barely comprehending.
"But why—why?" she stammered in return.
"I go to the Sheik in your stead because I love you, and to Melun in your stead because I love him," replied Silka firmly.
There was a smile in her eyes, but her lips were pale, compressed, and sad. Doolga gazed at her in silence, both hands clasped tightly now over her swelling breast. Astonishment, gratitude, mistrust, and jealousy were all struggling together within it for mastery.
"You love Melun too?" she said at last. "Then why do you not take him? One glance from you and he is yours."
"He was yours first," answered Silka miserably. "I cannot take him from you."
"And you will marry the Sheik to save me?"
"Yes," replied Silka.
Then Doolga fell on her knees and thanked Silka and kissed her, and Doolga's kisses were very sweet, and while those lips pressed hers Silka forgot everything else in the world. At last Doolga said in a sudden recrudescence of jealousy:
"In the grove to-night you will not—" and the rest was whispered.