ar to him, and he remembered, though
indistinctly, the angry tones he had heard before he became
unconscious, and was wondering if they were Mariam's.

"Did you come yourself?" he next asked her. "Ah," as she nodded, "I
remember your voice."

"Yes, I was indeed angry, and had to exert all my power before the
wretched Pasha would release you."

The old woman's look as she uttered these words was one of intense
hatred, and boded, as George thought, but little mercy should ever
opportunity arise for the man who had attempted to defy her. Again
he caught himself wondering at the power of these two strange
people. His reflections were put a stop to as the sound of Naoum's
voice fell on his ear.

"I will leave you, mother; he will recover now, and, under your
administering, rapidly. See that you tell him the news I have
brought you. There is much work for us all, and his share of it will
require a healthy body."

As he finished speaking, Naoum turned and left the room, followed by
the rest of his onlookers, whom Helmar quickly surmised were
servants.

Mariam alone remained, intent upon the care of her patient. Her eyes
never for one moment left the thin and drawn face on the pillow
before her, anticipating, with the solicitous care of a mother,
every need for his comfort.

"How long do you think it will be before I can get up?" asked George
suddenly, after a long pause. "My back feels much better already.
To-morrow?"

"No, no, my son. Not to-morrow or the day after, neither will you
get up for some days to come," replied the old woman, shaking her
head. "You have been injured almost unto death, and your recovery
must surely be slow. As Naoum said, there is work to be done in
which you will have to bear your part, and, to that end, we must
take the greatest care of you. Now, listen, to-night I shall come
again, when I shall have news of the greatest importance to
communicate to you; by that time you will be sufficiently refreshed
to listen, and for the while you must sleep."

She then administered an opiate and left him. In a few moments he
was again buried in profound slumber. It was not until the morrow
that he awoke; it was broad daylight when he did so, and while he
waited for the coming of Mariam he scanned the apartment in which he
was a prisoner. Evidently it was a room unused for the retention of
people in custody, for it was fitted up in luxurious style. The
walls were hung with heavy tapestries, and the