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"What!" exclaimed Cleves incredulously.
"Why, yes," she said, calmly. "Have you never heard of The Old Man of Mount Alamout?"
"Well, yes----"
"The succession has been unbroken since 1090 B.C.A Ha.s.san Sabbah is still the present Old Man of the Mountain. His Yezidees wors.h.i.+p Erlik.
They are sorcerers. But you would not believe that."
Cleves said with a smile, "Who is Erlik?"
"The Mongols' Satan."
"Oh! So these Yezidees are devil-wors.h.i.+pers!"
"They are more. They _are_ actually devils."
"You don't really believe that even in unexplored China there exists such a creature as a real sorcerer, do you?" he inquired, smilingly.
"I don't wish to talk of it."
To his surprise her face had flushed, and he thought her sensitive mouth quivered a little.
He watched her in silence for a moment; then, leaning a little way across the table:
"Where are you going when the show here closes?"
"To my boarding-house."
"And then?"
"To bed," she said, sullenly.
"And to-morrow what do you mean to do?"
"Go out to the agencies and ask for work."
"And if there is none?"
"The chorus," she said, indifferently.
"What salary have you been getting?"
She told him.
"Will you take three times that amount and work with me?"
CHAPTER IV
BODY AND SOUL
The girl's direct gaze met his with that merciless searching intentness he already knew.
"What do you wish me to do?"
"Enter the service of the United States."
"Wh-what?"
"Work for the Government."
She was too taken aback to answer.
"Where were you born?" he demanded abruptly.
"In Albany, New York," she replied in a dazed way.
"You are loyal to your country?"
"Yes--certainly."
"You would not betray her?"
"No."
"I don't mean for money; I mean from fear."
After a moment, and, avoiding his gaze: "I am afraid of death," she said very simply.
He waited.
"I--I don't know what I might do--being afraid," she added in a troubled voice. "I desire to--live."
He still waited.
She lifted her eyes: "I'd try not to betray my country," she murmured.
"Try to face death for your country's honour?"
"Yes."
"And for your own?"
"Yes; and for my own."
