he singers of my soul
That nest among the thoughts of my beloved!...
All silent now, the choruses are gone,
The windows of my soul are closed; no more
Mine eyes look gladly out to see my lover come.
There is no more to do, no more to say:
Take flight, my soul, my love returns no more!"

At the first note Kaid started, and his eyes fastened upon the screen
behind which sat the singer. Then, as the voice, in sweet anguish,
filled the court-yard, entrancing them all, rose higher and higher, fell
and died away, he got to his feet, and called out hoarsely: "Come--come
forth!"

Slowly a graceful, veiled figure came from behind the great screen. He
took a step forward.

"Zaida! Zaida!" he said gently, amazedly.

She salaamed low. "Forgive me, O my lord!" she said, in a whispering
voice, drawing her veil about her head. "It was my soul's desire to look
upon thy face once more."

"Whither didst thou go at Harrik's death? I sent to find thee, and give
thee safety; but thou wert gone, none knew where."

"O my lord, what was I but a mote in thy sun, that thou shouldst seek
me?"

Kaid's eyes fell, and he murmured to himself a moment, then he said
slowly: "Thou didst save Egypt, thou and my friend"--he gestured towards
David"--and my life also, and all else that is worth. Therefore bounty,
and safety, and all thy desires were thy due. Kaid is no ingrate--no, by
the hand of Moses that smote at Sinai!"

She made a pathetic motion of her hands. "By Harrik's death I am free, a
slave no longer. O my lord, where I go bounty and famine are the same."

Kaid took a step forward. "Let me see thy face," he said, something
strange in her tone moving him with awe.

She lowered her veil and looked him in the eyes. Her wan beauty smote
him, conquered him, the exquisite pain in her face filled Kaid's eyes
with foreboding, and pierced his heart.

"O cursed day that saw thee leave these walls! I did it for thy
good--thou wert so young; thy life was all before thee! But now--come,
Zaida, here in Kaid's Palace thou shalt have a home, and be at peace,
for I see that thou hast suffered. Surely it shall be said that Kaid
honours thee." He reached out to take her hand.

She had listened like one in a dream, but, as he was about to touch her,
she suddenly drew back, veiled her face, save for the eyes, and said in
a voice of agony: "Unclean, unclean! My lord, I am a leper!"

An awed and awful silence fell upon t