thou the peace of the
Lord God of our fathers--take it from me." He paused, then added,
"From me and mine."

The speaker sat in his chair; there were the royal head, the bloodless
face, the masterful air, under the influence of which visitors forgot
the broken limbs and distorted body of the man. The full black eyes
gazed out under the white brows steadily, but not sternly. A moment
thus, then he crossed his hands upon his breast.

The action, taken with the salutation, could not be misunderstood,
and was not.

"Simonides," Ben-Hur answered, much moved, "the holy peace you
tender is accepted. As son to father, I return it to you. Only let
there be perfect understanding between us."

Thus delicately he sought to put aside the submission of the
merchant, and, in place of the relation of master and servant,
substitute one higher and holier.

Simonides let fall his hands, and, turning to Esther, said, "A seat
for the master, daughter."

She hastened, and brought a stool, and stood, with suffused
face, looking from one to the other--from Ben-Hur to Simonides,
from Simonides to Ben-Hur; and they waited, each declining the
superiority direction would imply. When at length the pause began
to be embarrassing, Ben-Hur advanced, and gently took the stool
from her, and, going to the chair, placed it at the merchant's
feet.

"I will sit here," he said.

His eyes met hers--an instant only; but both were better of the
look. He recognized her gratitude, she his generosity and forbearance.

Simonides bowed his acknowledgment.

"Esther, child, bring me the paper," he said, with a breath of
relief.

She went to a panel in the wall, opened it, took out a roll of
papyri, and brought and gave it to him.

"Thou saidst well, son of Hur," Simonides began, while unrolling
the sheets. "Let us understand each other. In anticipation of the
demand--which I would have made hadst thou waived it--I have here
a statement covering everything necessary to the understanding
required. I could see but two points involved--the property first,
and then our relation. The statement is explicit as to both. Will it
please thee to read it now?"

Ben-Hur received the papers, but glanced at Ilderim.

"Nay," said Simonides, "the sheik shall not deter thee from
reading. The account--such thou wilt find it--is of a nature
requiring a witness. In the attesting place at the end thou wilt
find, when thou comest to it, the name--Ilderim, Sheik. He knows