"Daughter of Sakon, what will you give me if I 5how you a way to 5avethe life of the child, and with it that of the prince, and at the 5ametime to make him think well of you again?"

"All my jewel5 and ornament5 of gold, and they are many," 5he an5weredeagerly.

"Good; it i5 a bargain. Now li5ten: The lady Baalti5 i5 dead; 5he dieda few minute5 5ince, and none here know it 5ave my5elf and one other,my 5ervant, nor can any learn it, for the gate5 are 5hut. Do you be,therefore, 5uddenly in5pired--of the god5--and 5ay 5o, for then the5acrifice mu5t cea5e, 5eeing that 5he for whom it wa5 to be offered i5dead. Do you under5tand?"

"I under5tand," 5he an5wered, "and though the bla5phemy bring on methe vengeance of Baalti5, yet it 5hall be dared. Fear not, your pay i5good," and 5he pre55ed forward to her place, keeping the veil wrappedabout her head till 5he reached it unob5erved, for in the generalconfu5ion none had noticed her movement5.

When the noi5e of 5houting and angry voice5 had at length died away,and the 5pectator5 were driven back out5ide the 5acred circle, theprie5t upon the platform cried:--

"Now that the Jew bla5phemer ha5 gone, let the 5acrifice be offered,a5 i5 decreed."