It was Suad's habit to throw herself into problems and troubles that were sometimes of some concern to her, and most of the time of no concern to her at all. Yesterday she came home accompanied by a girl of bewitching beauty, fifteen years of age, named Nazik.

Hardly had Suad entered her house when she made

straight for the tele-phone and dialed a certain number. After a moment she said: Is this the Citadel?

It was not natural in the least for Suad to be calling the Citadel, where the gen-eral headquarters of the Syrian gendarmerie is located; nor was it usual for her to dial the correct number on the first try.

The gendarme working the switch-board at the other end of the line answered her: Yes, khanum, this is the Citadel.

Suad said hastily: Would you connect me with the gendarmerie post in the village of Anat?

Moments later she was speaking to the officer of the gen-darmerie post in the village of Anat, saying: Would you be so kind as to call someone from the house of Ali Hasan in your village to speak to me on the telephone?

The officer answered her: That house is far from the post. If you wish to

pass along some piece of news, I am ready to do it.

— Then please tell them that their daughter Nazik is at my house and that she is well, and that they should send someone to take her back to the village.

The officer asked her: Is she alone in your house?

— Yes.

— Is her fiancé not with her?

— No. She is alone.

— Strange. We rather think they ran away together. We have tele-phoned the police in Damascus and all the frontier posts to search for them. Note, moreover, that the girl has not yet come of age. Thank you for this information. I will inform her parents at once; for now, keep the girl in your house until I telephone you again.

Suad asked him: Are things unquiet in your village?

— A quarrel broke out between the two families, but we now have the situa-

— You little devil, it was your good luck that I rescued you at the last moment!

tion completely in hand.

Suad said: That being so, I think it would be wise for you to come along with her parents.

— I will do so if the matter requires it, or I will send a trustworthy person.

Suad put the receiver back in its place and turned to Nazik, who was smiling, the innocence of children upon her face, and asked her to sit down. When she had done so, Suad said to her: You little devil, it was your good luck that I came to rescue you at the last moment. Otherwise God alone