r characteristics, but which are far from always found in
unison; and throughout her survey Ben Arsli kept her near the entrance,
and Cecil had slept on, unaroused by the low tones of their voices.

A roll of notes had passed from her hand to the Moslem's and she was
about to glide out to her carriage, when a lamp which hung at the
farther end caught her fancy. It was very singular; a mingling of
colored glass, silver, gold, and ivory being wrought in much beauty in
its formation.

"Is that for sale?" she inquired.

As he answered in the affirmative, she moved up the shop, and, her eyes
being lifted to the lamp, had drawn close to Cecil before she saw him.
When she did so, she paused near in astonishment.

"Is that soldier asleep?"

"He is, madame," softly answered the old man, in his slow, studied
French. "He comes here to rest sometimes out of the noise; he was very
tired to-day, and I think ill, would he have confessed it."

"Indeed!" Her eyes fell on him with compassion; he had fallen into an
attitude of much grace and of utter exhaustion; his head was uncovered
and rested on one arm, so that the face was turned upward. With a
woman's rapid, comprehensive glance, she saw that dark shadow, like a
bruise, under his closed, aching eyes; she saw the weary pain upon his
forehead; she saw the whiteness of his hands, the slenderness of his
wrists, the softness of his hair; she saw, as she had seen before, that
whatever he might be now, in some past time he had been a man of gentle
blood, of courtly bearing.

"He is a Chasseur d'Afrique?" she asked the Moslem.

"Yes, madame. I think--he must have been something very different some
day."

She did not answer; she stood with her thoughtful eyes gazing on the
worn-out soldier.

"He saved me once, madame, at much risk to himself, from the savagery
of some Turcos," the old man went on. "Of course, he is always welcome
under my roof. The companionship he has must be bitter to him, I fancy;
they do say he would have had his officer's grade, and the cross, too,
long before now, if it were not for his Colonel's hatred."

"Ah! I have seen him before now; he carves in ivory. I suppose he has a
good side for those things with you?"

The Moor looked up in amazement.

"In ivory, madame?--he? Allah--il-Allah! I never heard of it. It is
strange-----"

"Very strange. Doubtless you would have given him a good price for
them?"

"Surely I would; any price he should have wish