apital. But he was now obliged to travel with
a certain amount of state, and he was accompanied by twenty of the
leading men of the Rebu in chariots and by an escort of light-armed
horsemen. At each town through which he passed he was received with
rapturous greetings and hailed as king and deliverer of the nation.

Two days after starting he arrived at the little seaport, and after
receiving the usual greeting from the inhabitants and holding an
audience at which he received the principal inhabitants who came to
tender their allegiance, he made his way to the house of the Persian
merchant where he had placed the girls. As his chariot stopped at the
door the merchant appeared on the threshold and made a profound
prostration. He had until the arrival of Amuba at the town been in
entire ignorance that those who had placed the girls under his charge
were other than they seemed. He knew indeed from their ignorance of
his language that the girls were not Persians, but supposed that they
were female slaves who had been brought from a distance, with a view,
perhaps, of being presented as an offering to the king.

After a word or two with him, Amuba and Chebron entered the house and
ascended to the apartment which had been set aside for the girls. They
were standing timidly at one end of the room, and both bent profoundly
as he entered. Amuba for a moment paused in astonishment, and then
burst into a fit of laughter.

"Is this your sister, Chebron, who thus greets her old friend in such
respectful fashion? Am I myself or some one else?"

"You are King Amuba," Mysa said, half-smiling, but with tears in her
eyes.

"That is true enough, Mysa; but I was always prince, you know. So
there is nothing very surprising in that."

"There is a great difference," Mysa said; "and it is only right where
there is such a difference of rank----"

"The difference of rank need not exist long, Mysa," Amuba said,
stepping forward and taking her hand. "Chebron, who is your brother,
and like a brother to me, has given me his consent, and it rests only
with you whether you will be queen of the Rebu and Amuba's wife. You
know that if I had not succeeded in winning a throne I should have
asked you to share my lot as an exile, and I think you would have said
yes. Surely you are not going to spoil my triumph now by saying no. If
you do I shall use my royal power in earnest and take you whether you
will or not."

But Mysa did not say no, and six w