Page:The Slave Girl of Agra.djvu/102

 Annoyed by her silence, Noren spoke again with some impatience. "Art thou a woman, or a daughter of the tribe of the ginii who mock at the misfortunes of men? But thy garb shows thee to be a Moslem maiden of high degree, and thou art one of the fairest of the daughters of men."

Fairy or woman, she seemed to soften at the compliment like the rest of her sex. A smile, with just a touch of mockery, overspread her face, but still the girl was silent.

Noren was encouraged. He caught hold of her white, bare arm, and spoke in a gentle voice. "A woman's heart thou hast, fair one, for a stranger. Show him a woman's kindness."

"A good long time thou hast taken to find out that I am a woman," spoke the girl at last, with a silent laughter which showed her beautiful white teeth, and her dark eyes twinkled in merriment. "Art thou sure yet I am not a sprite or a daughter of the ginii? Is my hand of flesh and blood?"

"Ay, and I feel pulsations of the warm blood which courses in thy veins."

"It seems a young soldier, though in his sick bed, knows a woman when he meets one."

"Ay, and he can read a kindly face even in the daughter of a strange land."

"Little dost thou know of my strange land, stranger, and be not too sure yet of my kindness. Thou shalt have as thou deservest."

"I ask for nothing more. I am content to have thee, fair one, for my judge."

"Why, thou art quite an adept in thy trade. Those fine words would win a fair girl even in a