Page:Maud Howe - A Newport Aquarelle.djvu/119

 education she had received, rebelled at the thought of being linked to a savage. Another time I will tell you how I came to cast my lot with Abdul the Sheik; it is a long history of adventure which you may find interesting. It is enough now to say that for three months I was his guest. At that time I was quite ignorant of Arabic, though I soon learned enough to make myself understood. Zuleika, summoned by her father from the tent of the women, would serve as an interpreter between my host and myself, and during the evenings when we sat together smoking before the tent door, the girl would stand at Abdul's side, and translate to him all the things he so eagerly asked of me. He was peculiarly intelligent, and had learned from his daughter much concerning European customs and character. He was never tired of hearing about England and the manner of warfare practised by the English. In return for what I could tell him, the sheik would recite to me the