ercome for a minute; then, pulling myself together, strode forward
fiercely, and, speaking so that all could hear me, cried, "Base king,
who neither knows the capacities of a spirit nor has learned as yet to
dread its anger, see! your commission is executed in a thought, just as
your punishment might be. Heru, come here." And when the girl,
speechless with amazement, had risen and slipped over to me, I
straightened her pretty hair from her forehead, and then, in a way
which would make my fortune if I could repeat it at a conjuror's table,
whipped poor Yang's gemmy crown from my pocket, flashed its baleful
splendour in the eyes of the courtiers, and placed it on the tresses of
the first royal lady who had worn it since its rightful owner died a
hundred years before.

A heavy silence fell on the hall as I finished, and nothing was heard
for a time save Heru sobbing on my breast and a thirsty baby somewhere
outside calling to its mother for the water that was not to be had. But
presently on those sounds came the fall of anxious feet, and a
messenger, entering the doorway, approached the throne, laid himself
out flat twice, after which obeisance he proceeded to remind the king
of the morning's ceremonial on a distant hill to "pray away the comet,"
telling his majesty that all was ready and the procession anxiously
awaiting him.

Whereon Ar-hap, obviously very well content to change the subject,
rose, and, coming down from the dais, gave me his hand. He was a fine
fellow, as I have said, strong and bold, and had not behaved badly for
an autocrat, so that I gripped his mighty fist with great pleasure.

"I cannot deny, stranger," he said, "that you have done all that has
been asked of you, and the maid is fairly yours. Yet before you take
away the prize I must have some assurance of what you yourself will do
with her. Therefore, for the moment, until this horrible thing in the
sky which threatens my people with destruction has gone, let it be
truce between us--you to your lodgings, and the princess back,
unharmed, amongst my women till we meet again."

"But--"

"No, no," said the king, waving his hand. "Be content with your
advantage. And now to business more important than ten thousand silly
wenches," and gathering up his robes over his splendid war-gear the
wood king stalked haughtily from the hall.

CHAPTER XVIII

Hotter and hotter grew that stifling spell, more and more languid man
and beast, drier and d