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But Ryder was not to be led away without a parting shot. "The name of the Delcassé child was Aimée?" Imperceptibly Tewfick hesitated. Then bowed in assent. "Odd," said young Ryder thoughtfully. "And your own daughter's name, also, is Aimée.... Two little ones with the same name." With a slight, vexed laugh, as one despairing of understanding, the pasha turned to McLean.
"H'm ... It seems to me that I've heard tales of our Tewfick and of pretty ladies in apartments. Cairo is a city of secrets and tattlers. However as to this Delcassé inheritance, I'll just notify the French legation " "We'll have to look sharp," said Ryder quickly. "There's no time to lose. The girl is to be married." "Married?... But she'll inherit the money just the same."
There were the mails simple and obvious channel but he had a strong idea that maidens in Mohammedan seclusion do not receive their letters directly. And now, especially, Tewfick would be on his guard. Then there was the chance of a message through some native's hands.
To the furthest corner her fingers explored the hole, pushing furiously against the earth. And then she drew back her hand and crushed it against her face to check the nervous sobs. The hole was empty. The key was gone. In Tewfick Pasha's harem everything was astir.
And this accursed business of the hasheesh had served his ends. To-night, he had come with his proofs.... "So you see," muttered Tewfick Pasha, "what the devil of a serious business this is. And how any talk of of unreadiness if you were not amiable, for example, to his cousin when she calls upon you might serve to anger him.... And so " Significantly his glance met hers. Her eyes fell, stricken.
"We've done everything that we can and there is no use working yourself up.... If anybody's to blame in this business, I don't think it's Tewfick he's done the handsome thing by her but the fool Frenchman who took his baby and his wife into the desert, and it's too late to rag him. Cheer up, old top, and forget it. There's nothing more to be done." It was sound advice, Jack Ryder knew it.
And then suddenly he asked, "Are you do you whom do you live with?" And when she answered in surprise, "But with whom but my father he is Tewfick Pasha," he drew a long breath. "I thought you'd tell me next you were married," he said limply. The next moment they were laughing the sudden, incredibly absorbed laughter of youth. "No husband.
Her mother was stolen by that disgusting old Turk " "Hold on a bit. Fifteen years ago Tewfick could hardly have been thirty and he has the rep of a Don Juan. It may have been a love affair or it may have been plunder.... The girl remembers her?" "Very little. She was so young when her mother died. She said that the father was so in love that he never married again."
What harm in the admission, after all these years, with Madame Delcassé dead and buried? And with a fortune involved in the admission. The Turk bowed and Ryder breathed again. "Ten years," said Tewfick softly. "Ah ten. But there has been no communication with France for twelve years or even longer?" "Possibly not, monsieur."
There can be no question of his motives " "Of course, if you think that sort of thing is all right " Carefully McLean ignored the other's wrath. Patiently he explained. "It's not what I think, my dear fellow, it's what the legation thinks. There's not a chance in the world of getting the marriage stopped." "Then I'll do it myself," declared Ryder. "I'll see this Tewfick Pasha and talk to him.
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