ell upon her breast.

At length the first arrow of the dawn fell upon the temple porch and she
spoke.

"Now let us enter," she said; "my heart forebodes evil indeed; but much
of evil I have known, and where the Gods drive me there I must go."

They came to the gates, and the man who watched them opened to the
priest Rei and the veiled woman who went with him, though he marvelled
at the beauty of the woman's shape.

"Where are thy fellow-guards?" Rei asked of the soldier.

"I know not," he answered, "but anon a great tumult rose in the Palace,
and the Captain of the Gate went thither, leaving me only to guard the
gate."

"Hast thou seen the Lord Eperitus?" Rei asked again.

"Nay, I have not seen him since supper-time last night, nor has he
visited the guard as is his wont."

Rei passed on wondering, and with him went Helen. As they trod the
Palace they saw folk flying towards the hall of banquets that is near
the Queen's chambers. Some bore arms in their hands and some bore none,
but all fled east towards the hall of banquets, whence came a sound of
shouting. Now they drew near the hall, and there at the further end,
where the doors are that lead to the Queen's chambers, a great crowd was
gathered.

"Hide thee, lady--hide thee," said Rei to her who went with him, "for
methinks that death is afoot here. See, here hangs a curtain, stand thou
behind it while I learn what this tumult means."

She stepped behind the curtain that hung between the pillars as Rei bade
her, for now Helen's gentle breast was full of fears, and she was as one
dazed. Even as she stepped one came flying down the hall who was of the
servants of Rei the Priest.

"Stay thou," Rei cried to him, "and tell me what happens yonder."

"Ill deeds, Lord," said the servant. "Eperitus the Wanderer, whom
Pharaoh made Captain of his Guard when he went forth to slay the rebel
Apura--Eperitus hath laid hands on the Queen whom he was set to guard.
But she fled from him, and her cries awoke the guard, and they fell upon
him in Pharaoh's very chamber. Some he slew with shafts from the great
black bow, but Kurri the Sidonian cut the string of the bow, and the
Wanderer was borne down by many men. Now they have bound him and drag
him to the dungeons, there to await judgment from the lips of Pharaoh.
See, they bring him. I must begone on my errand to the keeper of the
dungeons."

The Golden Helen heard the shameful tale, and such sorrow took her that
had sh