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His black eyes danced with amusee, haven't you?'

Marie looked at him blankly

'You very thoroughly chastisedabout it,' he said teasingly

'Don't lie! You didn't give a daain 'You looked so incredulous when you saw me! Rather like your expression when you saw that snake out in the desert'

'Snakes always fully 'What were you doing in the hotel garden any­way? Why were you lurking about at that hour of the night?'

'I was on my way to bed,' he confessed

'You were staying in the hotel?' She was astounded 'I never saw you'

'I wasn't exactly a guest,' he admitted 'I own it'

'I

'I own a lot of hotels,' he told her 'I visit them all once or twice It just happened to be that one on that particu­lar night'

'Why did it have to be while I was staying there?' she laht of the year?'

'It is the will of Allah,' he said mischievously

She looked up at hi Arab dress?'

'I' my mother's country I alear Arab dress Don't you like it?' The dark eyes rested on her face

'It suits you,' she said, suddenly breathless