oncealed the cupboard. He hid his
new copies in his breast and called in Bias.

"I am going out, but I shall not be late."

"Shall not Hylas and I go with lanterns?" asked the fellow. "Last night
there were foot-pads."

"I don't need you," rejoined his master, brusquely.

He went down into the dimly lighted street and wound through the maze of
back alleys wherein Athens abounded, but Democrates never missed his way.
Once he caught the glint of a lantern--a slave lighting home his master
from dinner. The orator drew into a doorway; the others glided by, seeing
nothing. Only when he came opposite the house of the Cyprian he saw light
spreading from the opposite doorway and knew he must pass under curious
eyes. Phormio was entertaining friends very late. But Democrates took
boldness for safety, strode across the illumined ring, and up to the
Cyprian's stairway. The buzz of conversation stopped a moment. "Again
Glaucon," he caught, but was not troubled.

"After all," he reflected, "if seen at all, there is no harm in such a
mistake."

The room was again glittering in its Oriental magnificence. The Cyprian
advanced to meet his visitor, smiling blandly.

"Welcome, dear Athenian. We have awaited you. We are ready to heal your
calamity."

Democrates turned away his face.

"You know it already! O Zeus, I am the most miserable man in all Hellas!"

"And wherefore miserable, good friend?" The Cyprian half led, half
compelled the visitor to a seat on the divan. "Is it such to be enrolled
from this day among the benefactors of my most gracious lord and king?"

"Don't goad me!" Democrates wrung his hands. "I am desperate. Take these
papyri, read, pay, then let me never see your face again." He flung the
two rolls in the Prince's lap and sat in abject misery.

The other unrolled the writings deliberately, read slowly, motioned to
Hiram, who also read them with catlike scrutiny. During all this not a
word was spoken. Democrates observed the beautiful mute emerge from an
inner chamber and silently take station at his master's side, following
the papers also with wonderful, eager eyes. Only after a long interval the
Prince spoke.

"Well--you bring what purports to be private memoranda of Themistocles on
the equipment and arraying of the Athenian fleet. Yet these are only
copies."

"Copies; the originals cannot stay in my possession. It were ruin to give
them up."

The Prince turned to Hiram.

"And do you say, from wha