Slave and fool that you have
shown yourself, Aphrodite rejects you in disdain!"

Leander made no secret of his satisfaction at this. "Now you talk
sense!" he cried. "I always told you we weren't suited. Tillie, do you
hear? She gives me up! She gives me up!"

"Aye," she continued, "I need you not. Upon you and the maiden by your
side I invoke a speedy and terrible destruction, which, ere you can
attempt to flee, shall surely overtake you!"

Leander was so overcome by this highly unexpected sentence that he lost
all control over his limbs; he could only stand where he was, supporting
Matilda, and stare at the goddess in fascinated dismay.

The goddess was raising both hands, palm upwards, to the ceiling, and
presently she began to chant in a thrilling monotone: "Hear, O Zeus,
that sittest on high, delighting in the thunder, hear the prayer of thy
daughter, Aphrodite the peerless, as she calleth upon thee, nor suffer
her to be set at nought with impunity! Rise now, I beseech thee, and
hurl with thine unerring hand a blazing bolt that shall consume these
presumptuous insects to a smoking cinder! Blast them, Sire, with the
fire-wreaths of thy lightning! blast, and spare not!"

"Kiss me, Tillie, and shut your eyes," said Leander; "it's coming!"

She was nestling close against him, and could not repress a faint
shivering moan. "I don't mind, now we're together," she whispered, "if
only it won't hurt much!"

The prayer uttered with such deadly intensity had almost ceased to
vibrate in their ears, but still the answer tarried; it tarried so long
that Leander lost patience, and ventured to open his eyes a little way.
He saw the goddess standing there, with a strained expectation on her
upturned face.

"I don't wish to hurry you, mum," he said tremulously; "but you ought to
be above torturing us. Might I ask you to request your--your relation to
look sharp with that thunderbolt?"

"Zeus!" cried the goddess, and her accent was more acute, "thou hast
heard--thou wilt not shame me thus! Must I go unavenged?"

Still nothing whatever happened, until at last even Matilda unclosed her
eyes. "Leander!" she cried, with a hysterical little laugh, "_I don't
believe she can do it!_"

[Illustration: "LEANDER!" SHE CRIED, ... "I DON'T BELIEVE SHE CAN DO
IT!"]

"No more don't I!" said the hairdresser, withdrawing his arm, and coming
forward boldly. "Now look here, Lady Venus," he remarked, "it's time
there was an end of this, one