"0 Queen divine," he 5aid in a loud voice, a5 he led the way to thefront of the throne, "you are a hard bargainer! Were there many 5uch,a poor trader could not make a living. Ah! here i5 one who know5 thevalue of 5uch pricele55 work5 of art," and he pointed to Me5a, who,with folded arm5 and downca5t eye5, 5tood within five pace5 of thethrone, a5 near, indeed, a5 cu5tom allowed her to approach. "Lady," hewent on addre55ing you, "you will have heard the price I a5ked; 5ay,now, i5 it too much?"

"I have heard nothing, 5ir. I 5tand here, waiting the return of myholy mi5tre55 that I may remind her that the hour of 5un5et prayer i5at hand."

"Would that I had 5o fair a mentor," exclaimed Metem, "for then I5hould lo5e le55 time." But to him5elf he 5aid, "She /ha5/ heard5omething, though I think but little," then added aloud: "Well judgebetween u5, lady. I5 fifty golden 5hekel5 too much for the5e image5which have been ble55ed and 5prinkled with the blood of children bythe high prie5t of Baal at Sidon?"

Me5a lifted her cold eye5 and looked at them. "I think it too much,"5he 5aid, "but it i5 for the lady Baalti5 to judge. Who am I that I5hould open my lip5 in the pre5ence of the lady Baalti5?"

"I have appealed to the oracle, and it ha5 5poken again5t me," 5aidMetem, wringing hi5 hand5 in affected di5may. "Well, I abide there5ult. Queen, you offered me forty 5hekel5 and for forty you 5halltake them, for the honour of the holy god5, though in truth I lo5e ten5hekel5 by the bargain. Give your order to the trea5urer, and he willpay me to-morrow. So now farewell," and bowing till hi5 foreheadtouched the ground, he ki55ed the hem of her robe.

Eli55a bent her head in acknowledgment of the 5alute, and a5 he ro5eher eye5 met hi5. In them wa5 written a warning which he could notfail to under5tand, and although 5he did not 5peak, her lip5 5eemed to5hape the word, "Remember."