endants
who remained standing in an attitude of deep reverence, she began in
broken Persian: "Accept my thanks also. In Babylon you shall receive a
thousand gold staters." Then turning to Boges, she added: "Let this
sum be distributed among the attendants at latest by the day after
to-morrow. Take me to my carriage, Croesus."

The old king hastened to do her bidding, and as he was leading her
thither she pressed his arm and whispered gently, "Are you pleased with
me, my father?"

"I tell you, girl," the old man answered, "that no one but the king's
mother can ever be your equal at this court, for a true and queenly
pride reigns on your brow, and you have the power of using small means
to effect great ends. Believe me, the smallest gift, chosen and bestowed
as you can choose and bestow, gives more pleasure to a noble mind
than heaps of treasure merely cast down at his feet. The Persians are
accustomed to present and receive costly gifts. They understand already
how to enrich their friends, but you can teach them to impart a joy
with every gift. How beautiful you are to-day! Are your cushions to
your mind, or would you like a higher seat? But what is that? There are
clouds of dust in the direction of the city. Cambyses is surely coming
to meet you! Courage, my daughter. Above all try to meet his gaze and
respond to it. Very few can bear the lightning glance of those eyes,
but, if you can return it freely and fearlessly, you have conquered.
Fear nothing, my child, and may Aphrodite adorn you with her most
glorious beauty! My friends, we must start, I think the king himself is
coming." Nitetis sat erect in her splendid, gilded carriage; her hands
were pressed on her throbbing heart. The clouds of dust came nearer
and nearer, her eye caught the flash of weapons like lightning across
a stormy sky. The clouds parted, she could see single figures for a
moment, but soon lost them as the road wound behind some thickets and
shrubs. Suddenly the troop of horsemen appeared in full gallop only a
hundred paces before her, and distinctly visible.

Her first impression was of a motley mass of steeds and men, glittering
in purple, gold, silver and jewels. It consisted in reality of a troop
of more than two hundred horsemen mounted on pure white Nicaean horses,
whose bridles and saddle-cloths were covered with bells and bosses,
feathers, fringes, and embroidery. Their leader rode a powerful
coal-black charger, which even the strong wil