Page:The Slave Girl of Agra.djvu/110

 Northern Steppes, and art little accustomed to these labyrinths which the architects of Hind love to construct. Take my arm, dear sister; our mother in the North will never forgive me if any harm befalls thee while thou art in my charge. There are many steps and many turnings in this dark passage."

Noren was nothing loth to take the soft, warm arm, and held it more closely than the dangers of the passage warranted.

"How rough thou art, sister Sharifa. One would think thou hadst a man's strong hand and had learnt a man's rude ways. A girl should have softer manners, for a maiden wins her lover by her coyness."

"But methinks, oh, most decorous of sisters, a girl sometimes likes a little boldness in man. We maidens think little of a milksop, but are inclined to pardon a little masculine rudeness at times!"

"May be, sister, there be maidens whose hearts are thus touched. For me, my dagger is sooner touched by such rudeness than my heart," said Jelekha in a tone which could not be mistaken.

"I respect thy virtue, dear sister," said Jelekha's companion, rebuked. "And I shall never forget what thou hast done for me."

"Why, that is spoken like a sister. Thou speakest now like the gentlest of thy sex. Has thy gentle heart been touched, Sharifa, by the masculine ways of some youth of this land, who has vowed to make a fair Hindustanee of thee?"

"Indeed, indeed, if I must confess the truth, sister Jelekha, thou hast guessed rightly. A tall, slender youth tended me long in my illness and has