It
ended in Saidee and her husband going to Algiers without me, and Saidee
cried--but she couldn't help being happy, because she was in love, and
very excited about the strange new life, which Cassim told her would be
wonderful as some gorgeous dream of fairyland. He gave her quantities of
jewellery, and said they were nothing to what she should have when she
was in her own home with him. She should be covered from head to foot
with diamonds and pearls, rubies and emeralds, if she liked; and of
course she would like, for she loved jewels, poor darling."
"Why do you say 'poor?'" asked Stephen. "Are you going to tell me the
marriage wasn't a success?"
"I don't know," answered the girl. "I don't know any more about her than
if Cassim ben Halim had really carried my sister off to fairyland, and
shut the door behind them. You see, I was only eight years old. I
couldn't make my own life. After Saidee was married and taken to
Algiers, my stepmother began to imagine herself in love with an American
from Indiana, whom she met in Paris. He had an impressive sort of
manner, and made her think him rich and important. He was in business,
and had come over to rest, so he couldn't stay long abroad; and he urged
Mrs. Ray to go back to America on the same ship with him. Of course she
took me, and this Mr. Henry Potter told her about a boarding-school
where they taught quite little girls, not far from the town where he
lived.
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