sire?"

"My tricks, Melisande! Bring down the box, quick!" She turned excitedly
to the two young men. "It is all I can do in return, you see. If I could
dance for them, I would. If I could sing, I would sing to them. I do
what I can. You," she said to the Duke, "must go on to the platform and
announce it."

"Announce what?"

"Why, that I am going to do my tricks! All you need say is 'Ladies and
gentlemen, I have the pleasure to--' What is the matter now?"

"You make me feel slightly unwell," said the Duke.

"And YOU are the most d-dis-disobliging and the unkindest and the
b-beastliest person I ever met," Zuleika sobbed at him through her
hands. The MacQuern glared reproaches at him. So did Melisande, who had
just appeared through the postern, holding in her arms the great casket
of malachite. A painful scene; and the Duke gave in. He said he would do
anything--anything. Peace was restored.

The MacQuern had relieved Melisande of her burden; and to him was the
privilege of bearing it, in procession with his adored and her quelled
mentor, towards the Hall.

Zuleika babbled like a child going to a juvenile party. This was the
great night, as yet, in her life. Illustrious enough already it had
seemed to her, as eve of that ultimate flattery vowed her by the Duke.
So fine a thing had his doom seemed to her--his doom alone--that it had
sufficed to flood her pink pearl with the right hue. And now not on him
alone need she ponder. Now he was but the centre of a group--a group
that might grow and grow--a group that might with a little encouragement
be a multitude... With such hopes dimly whirling in the recesses of her
soul, her beautiful red lips babbled.

X

Sounds of a violin, drifting out through the open windows of the
Hall, suggested that the second part of the concert had begun. All the
undergraduates, however, except the few who figured in the programme,
had waited outside till their mistress should re-appear. The sisters
and cousins of the Judas men had been escorted back to their places and
hurriedly left there.

It was a hushed, tense crowd.

"The poor darlings!" murmured Zuleika, pausing to survey them. "And oh,"
she exclaimed, "there won't be room for all of them in there!"

"You might give an 'overflow' performance out here afterwards,"
suggested the Duke, grimly.

This idea flashed on her a better. Why not give her performance here and
now?--now, so eager was she for contact, as it were, wit