“Not until you tell me where you live and your name.” “My name is Lalla. I live----But what good to tell you?--I shall never see you again.” “Jewilikins! Hark at that! Not see me? Of course you will.” “No, no, no! you must not; good-by--I live--here.” She had stopped in front of a small gate in a very big wall. “You do? May I come and see you?” She laughed so boisterously that Max caught the contagion and laughed as well. “No; what absurdity--I am going to be married----” The gate opened, and Lalla slipped in and closed it again so quickly that Max could not get even the slightest glimpse of what was on the other side. “Never mind, I will when his nibs goes in,” thought Max. But again he was mistaken, for the old party, looking quite disreputable in his blood-stained clothes, dodged in just as expeditiously as the girl had done. “I’ll be hanged if I’ll be treated this way!” said Max. “I’ll see over that wall, or I’ll know the reason why.” He looked for a good climbing place, and found a better one than he expected. “Here goes--Mahdi or no Mahdi,” he said, as he commenced climbing the wall. When he reached the top he saw an elegant estate. The lawn was as beautiful as Central Park, and a number of fountains were sending up continuous sprays of water, which the slight breeze scattered over the turf, keeping the grass green and soft. A large house stood in the center, and near to its main entrance stood Lalla. She was motioning to Max to go back, but he would not understand her signals. He quietly dropped from the wall to the ground, and sheltered himself behind a clump of euphorbia. He was afraid that his presence might be known, and that he would be expelled from the grounds. He was determined to speak with Lalla, and did not see why it should be considered wrong to do so. He knew how the Eastern women were guarded, and that if he were caught his life might be the forfeit, but he was Madcap Max still. He saw the fat old party waddle along the driveway and enter the house. “I wonder if he will beat her?” thought Max. “Jewilikins! if he does, I’ll break into his place and steal her away--that I will!” But it soon became evident that his position would be an unpleasant one. Either Lalla or the fat old party had determined to drive him from the grounds. A dozen male servants of the great man who owned the estate started down the steps of the portico and made straight for the euphorbia. The gate was fastened. The wall was too high to climb on short notice. Max saw his peril. If caught---- “But I won’t be,” he said to himself, very emphatically. “Shall I break cover now, or wait until they are close upon me?” he asked himself, and answered: “Wait until they are close upon you. They will be tired, you fresh; then race them for all that it is worth.” The men ran as if the very old bogey of ancient romance was after them. When they reached the euphorbia hedge Max stood ready.