XXII PAULINE IN CAIRO
On the first of March, about mid-afternoon, the _Catalonia_ steamed intothe harbor of Alexandria. Pauline, at the rail, watched the clearingoutlines of mosques and minarets, as the beautiful city became visible.It was a glistening, dazzling strip, between the deep blue of the sea andthe azure of the sky, and, breathless with delight, she gazed at theshining sunlit picture.
Then the Arab pilot came aboard, and soon Pauline found herself in ashore-boat, swiftly making for the quay. She knew Loria would meet her atAlexandria, she had had a telegram at Naples to that effect, and shethrilled with pleasure at thought of seeing wonderful Egypt with him.Landing, she was bewildered by the crowd of strange-looking people,natives, tourists, officials and porters, all shouting, running andgetting in each other's way. Luggage was everywhere, and the game seemedto be to present any piece of it to anybody except the owner. Paulinefell to laughing at the antics of a black man robed in white and a brownman robed in yellow fighting for possession of a small portmanteau, whileits timid and bewildered owner desperately hung on to it herself.
Three or four Arabs gathered round Pauline herself, each asserting hisclaim to all the virtues of a perfect dragoman. In more or lessintelligible English, each insisted he had been sent to her personally byEffendi This or That, of marvelous wealth and power. Greatly interested,she listened to their arguments, until, encouraged, they became soinsistent that she was frightened. Seeing this, they waxed threatening,even belligerent, in their determination to be engaged, and just as onelaid his brown, long fingers on her arm, and she drew back in a panic offear, she saw Carr Loria's smiling face coming to her through the crowd.
With a wave of his hand and a few short commands, he sent the bothersomeArabs flying, and greeted Pauline with affectionate enthusiasm.
"Polly, dear! but I'm glad to see you! Have you had a good trip? But suchquestions must wait a bit. Where are your checks? Do you see your boxes?"
"There's only one, and some hand things. Here is----"
"All right," and Loria took the little sheaf of papers she produced fromher handbag. "Ahri, look after these."
A tall Arab glided to Loria's side, and took the checks. "Ahri is mydragoman and body-servant and general factotum," said Loria, by way ofintroduction. "This lady, Ahri, is my cousin, Miss Stuart. Her word islaw."
"Yes, Mr. Loria. Miss Stoort is queen of all."
The man made a salaam of obeisance and turned away to look after theluggage.
"He's a wonder, that Ahri," said Carrington Loria, looking after theretreating Arab. "But be very haughty with him, Polly. He presumes uponthe least encouragement. Treat him like the dust under your feet, andhe'll adore you."
"That's easy enough," and Pauline smiled. "I'm scared to death of thesebrown and black men. But your servant is so grand of costume."
"Yes, he's a very high-class affair. Handsome chap and fond of dress. Buthe's invaluable to me. Speaks almost perfect English, and knowseverything there is to know,--and then some. Knows, too, everybody whohas ever been in Cairo or ever thought of coming here. And he possessesthe proud distinction of being the only dragoman here-abouts who hasn't aletter of recommendation from Hichens. You haven't that, have you, Ahri?"for the Arab had just reappeared.
A marvelous set of white teeth gleamed in the sunlight, as the responsecame quickly: "I had one, Mr. Loria, but I sold it. They are of use toothers; Ahri needs none." His self-conceit was superb, and he spoke withthe air of a prince. But warned by Loria, Pauline gave him no answeringsmile, rather a patronizing nod, and Ahri's respect for the newcomer wentup several points.
"Come along, girlie," commanded Carrington and he took Pauline's arm ashe hurried her to the boat-train.
Watchful Ahri showed them to the compartment he had secured for them, andsoon they were on their way to Cairo.
"Now, tell me everything," said Carr Loria, as they sat alone. "This is athree-hour trip and I want to know the whole story. Just think, Pauline,I've had only a few letters, and they were--well,--they were almostcontradictory in some ways. So tell me all, from the beginning."
Pauline did, and by the time they reached Cairo, Loria knew as much asshe of the death of their aunt and the subsequent search for themurderer.
"Wasn't it strange," he mused, "that that Bates person should go in tokill her, the very night somebody else had the same intention?"
"Well, but, Carr, Bates didn't start out to kill her, you know; he wentto steal the jewels, and he knew they were all in the house that night,because Estelle told him so. Now, of course, whoever gave her the poison,must have known it too----"
"Oh, I don't know. Why didn't somebody want to put her out of the way toget a bequest? Not necessarily the Count gentleman, but maybe one of theservants. Maybe that Estelle? Didn't she receive a legacy in Aunt Lucy'swill?"
"Yes, but nobody has thought of suspecting her."
"Don't see why not. I thought of her first clip. I don't think that Stoneparagon amounts to much. Hey, what are you blushing about? Sits the windin that quarter?"
"Don't tease me, Carr. I _do_ like him better than any man I ever saw,but----"
"And so you ran away and left him! Out with it, Polly. Tell your oldUncle Dudley the story of your life!"
"There's nothing to tell, Carr, about Mr. Stone. But I came to you,because some people suspect me,--_ME_--of--of killing Aunt Lucy----"
"Pauline! They don't! Who suspects you?"
"All the police people, and Gray and Anita Frayne,----"
"They do! You poor little girl! I'm glad you came to me. I'll take careof you. But, Polly, whom do _you_ suspect? Honest, now, who is in yourmind?"
"I don't know, Carr. I can't seem to think. But when they fastened it onme, I was so frightened, I just flew. Why, just think, every one atGarden Steps was suspicious of me! I could see it even in the servants'eyes. I couldn't stand it, and I was afraid----"
"Yes, dear, go on,----"
"Well, I was afraid Mr. Stone would think so, and I couldn't bear that,so I just ran off on impulse. I regretted it lots of times on the tripover,--and then at other times I was glad I came. Are you glad?"
"Sure, Polly. I wanted you to stick to your plan of coming over, youknow. Yes, I'm glad you're here. Now, we'll soon be in Cairo, and you'lllove it,--all the strange sights and experiences. You'll live atShepheard's for the present. I've engaged a chaperon for you."
"How thoughtful you are, Carr."
"Oh, of course, a beautiful young woman can't live alone in Cairo, andalso of course, you couldn't live with me. So, Mrs. MacDonald will lookafter you, but she won't in any way bother you. Whenever you need aduenna, she'll be right at your elbow, and when you don't want her about,she is self-effacing. You'll like her, too, she's not half-bad as acompanion."
At Cairo, Ahri handed them from the train. Again Polly was impressed withthe Arab's dignified bearing and rich costume. His long galabeah, shapedlike a well-fitting bathrobe, was of white corded silk, exquisitelyembroidered. Collarless, it gave glimpses of other silken vestments, andover it he wore a correct English topcoat, short and velvet-trimmed. Fromhis tarbush to his English shoes and silk hose, he was perfectly garbedand groomed, while the scarab ring on his little finger was the only bitof jewelry visible.
"That's nothing," laughed Loria, following her glance. "Wait till you seehim in all the glory of his burnoose and other contraptions. Here, Ahri,take this duffel, too. And, now, Polly-pops, you'll see Cairo."
The ride to the hotel was like a moving picture in color. The streetcrowds were rushing by, a flare of bright-hued raiment and dark-skinnedfaces. Everywhere, baubles were for sale. Street vendors carried them ontheir heads, in their arms, or thrust them forth with eager hands.
Post-cards, jewelry, scarfs, and fans. Fly-whisks with dangling beads.Embroideries, carved ivories, brasses, sweetmeats, fruits and newspapers,all were successively and collectively offered for immediate, almostcompulsory sale.
"All in good time, honey. To-morrow, Ahri shall take you to the bazaars,with or without Mrs. MacDonald, as you choose, and you can get a bushelof foolishness if you want to. Everybody has to cure that first maddesire to buy rubbish, by yielding to it. You soon get enough."
"Then I may go alone with Ahri to the shops?"
"Yes, anywhere, by daylight, except to social affairs. There, or to anyin-door entertainment, you must take her. But she'll know all thesethings. Abide always by her decision."
"But won't you be with me, Carr? You speak as if I will be much withoutyou."
"I'm awfully busy, Pauline; I'll tell you all about it this evening. Thenyou'll understand. Here we are at Shepheard's. Did you ever see such ahorde of freaks?"
It was just about dusk. The last rays of the Egyptian sunset werelingering, as if for Pauline to get one glimpse of the picture by theirrainbow lights. Many were at tea on the broad Terrace; the scarlet-coatedband crashed their brasses; and Pauline entered the hotel, her wholebeing responding to the strange thrill that Cairo gives even to the mostphlegmatic visitor or jaded tourist.
Later, at dinner, she met Mrs. MacDonald, a correct, tactful anddiplomatic widow, who looked forward with pleasure to the chaperonage ofthe beautiful girl to whom she was introduced.
At Loria's advice, Pauline had put on evening dress; and she made astriking picture, in black tulle, devoid of all jewelry or ornament savea breast-knot of purple orchids her cousin had sent to her rooms.
At dinner, conversation was general, and the trio was made a quartet bythe addition of an English friend of Loria's whom he ran across in thehotel lobby. Later, after they had had their coffee in the great hall,Mrs. MacDonald and the Englishman strolled away and the cousins were leftalone.
"How beautiful you have grown, Pauline," Carr said, his eyes resting onher piquant face, crowned with its mass of soft, dark hair.
"Speak for yourself, John," she returned smiling up into the handsome,sunburned face of the man who scrutinized her. "You have acquired notonly a becoming tan, but a new air of distinction."
"Glad you think so, girlie. Thanks a whole lot. How do you like theMacDonald?"
"Very much so far. She won't try to boss me, will she?"
"Not unless you make it necessary; but you must remember that Englishetiquette obtains in Cairo, and you mustn't try to be unconventional,except as Mrs. MacDonald approves."
"Oh, I won't disgrace you, Carr, I've common sense, I hope. Now tell meabout yourself."
"I'm deep in a new project, Polly, a wonderful one. It's an enormousundertaking, but I shall put it through all right."
"What is it? Excavation?"
"In a way. But here's the story. Mind, now, it's a dead secret. Don'tmention it to Mrs. Mac. I trust you with it, but it must go no further.Well, in a word, I've come into possession of an old papyrus, that tellsof a treasure----"
"Oh, Carr, are you a treasure-seeker?"
"Now, wait till I tell you. This papyrus is authentic, and it's nothingmore nor less than an account of a great hoard of jewels and gold sunk,purposely, by an old Egyptian king to save them from seizure. Youwouldn't understand all the reasons that prove this is a true bill, butit is, and so you must take my word for it. All right. The old duffer sawfit to sink this stuff in the Nile, at a certain spot, designated in thispapyrus thing, and all I've got to do is to dig her up, and there youare!"
Carr Loria's face lighted up with the enthusiasm of the truearchaeologist, and Pauline caught the spirit, too, as she exclaimed, "Howsplendid! How do you get down to it,--if it's under the Nile?"
"It's a big scheme, Polly!" and Loria's eyes sparkled. "I've got to havea coffer-dam, an enormous one,--and, oh, and a whole lot ofparaphernalia, and it will cost like fury, but the end justifies theexpense,--and then, think of the glory of it!"
"Have you got a right to do all this? Can anybody dig wherever he likesin Egypt?"
"No, you little goose! But I've managed all that part. I won't tell evenyou about it, but I've--well, I've fixed it up. Now, listen here,Pollypops, you're to tell just simply _nobody_ a word of all this,--notone, littlest, leastest mite of a word! See?"
"All right, Carr, of course I won't tell, if you say not to. But will yoube away from us? Out of Cairo?"
"Off and on. I'll be back and forth, you know. This place is up the Nilea bit, and, of course, I have to be there much of the time. But you'll beall right. I know heaps of people, jolly sort, too, and Mrs. Mac willtake you round, and you'll have the time of your sweet young life!"
"I'm sure I shall. But, Carr, have you forgotten all about America, andAunt Lucy and--and Fleming Stone?"
"No, Pauline, I haven't forgotten those things. But, I own up, aside fromthe awful circumstances, I'm not terribly wrought up over Aunt Lucy'sdeath. Poor old thing, she wasn't so awfully happy, you know, and Lordknows, she didn't make anybody else happy. Then, too, you must realizethat as I wasn't there, through the dreadful time, as you were, I can'tfeel the same thrill and horror of it. In fact, I try to forget it all Ican, as I can't do anybody any good by mulling over it. So, if you wantto please me, old girl, you'll refer to it as little as you can."
"But don't you care who killed her? Don't you want to find out themurderer and bring him to justice?"
"I want that done, Polly, but _I_ don't want to do it. That's why I putit all in Haviland's hands; that's why I didn't want to go to America,unless, as I told you at first, unless _you_ needed me. I can't payproper attention to my work here if I have any such worriment as that onmy shoulders. And I tell you, Pauline, this chance that has come to me isthe chance of a lifetime, the chance of a century! It means fortune, fameand glory for me. It means--oh Pauline, it means _everything_!"
"All right, Carr, I won't interfere in anyway with your work. I'll do asyou tell me, but--but if they continue to suspect me,----"
"Suspect you! My _dear_ girl! Let 'em try it! I'll see to that! Don't youfear. If anything bothers you, just leave it to me! Ah, here come ourtruants. Now, Polly, for my sake, leave all those subjects for thepresent, and be your own dear entertaining self."
And Pauline granted his request, and was so attractive and charming thatthe Englishman straightway fell over head and heels in love and Mrs.MacDonald was torn between throes of admiration and envy.
The Curved Blades Page 22
