He stepped out as he spoke on the terrace and looked up at the intense calm of the lovely sky.  Theos followed him, and stood leaning on the balustrade among the clambering vines, watching him with earnest, half-regretful half-adoring eyes.  He, meanwhile, gathered a scarcely opened white rosebud and loosening the tress of Niphrata’s hair from his fingers, allowed it to hang to its full rippling length,—­then laying the flower against it, he appeared dreamily to admire the contrast between the snowy blossom and shining curl.

“Many strange men there are in the world,” he said softly—­“lovers and fools who set priceless store on a rose and a lock of woman’s hair!  I have heard of some who, dying, have held such trifles as chiefest of all their worldly goods, and have implored that whereas their gold and household stuff can be bestowed freely on him who first comes to claim it, the faded flower and senseless tress may be laid on their hearts to comfort them in the cold and dreamless sleep from which they shall not wake again!” He sighed and his eyes darkened into deep and musing tenderness.  “Poets there have been too and are, who would string many a canticle on this soft severed lock and gathered blossom,—­and many a quaint conceit could I myself contrive concerning it, did I not feel more prone to tears to-day than minstrelsy.  Canst thou believe it, Theos”—­ and he forced a laugh, though his lashes were wet, . .  “I, the joyous Sah-luma, am for once most truly sad! ... this tress of hair doth seem to catch my spirit in a chain that binds me fast and draws me onward.. onward.. to some mournful end I may not dare to see!”

And as he spoke he mechanically wound the golden curl round and about the stem of the rosebud in the fashion of a ribbon, and placed the two entwined together in his breast.  Theos looked at him wistfully, but was silent, . . he himself was too full of dull and melancholy misgivings to be otherwise than sad also.  Instinctively he drew closer to his friend’s side, and thus they remained for some minutes, exchanging no words, and gazing dreamily out on the luxurious foliage of the trees and the wealth of bright blossoms that adorned the landscape before them.

“Thou art confident Niphrata will return?” questioned Theos presently in a low tone.

“She will return,".. rejoined Sah-luma quietly—­“because she will do anything for love of me.”

“For love’s sake she may die!” said Theos.  Sah-luma smiled.

“Not so, my friend! ... for love’s sake she will live!”

CHAPTER XXVI.

The priest Zel.

As he uttered the last word the sound of an approaching light step disturbed the silence.  It was one of the young girls of the household, . . a dark, haughty-looking beauty whom Theos remembered to have seen in the palace-hall when he first arrived, lying indolently among cushions, and playing with a tame bird which flew to and fro at her beckoning.  She advanced now with an almost imperial stateliness,—­her salute to Sah-luma was grateful, yet scarcely submissive,—­while he, turning eagerly toward her, seemed gladdened and relieved at her appearance, his face assuming a gratified expression like that of a child who, having broken one toy, is easily consoled with another.