estroy his holiness."

Kush looked with contempt on Asarhadon.

"Watch him, then; follow every step of his. If Thou discover anything,
perhaps Thou wilt get some part of his property."

"Oh, now them hast given wise counsel," said the host. "Let that rat go
to the priestesses, and from them to places unknown to me. But I will
send after him my vision, from which nothing will be secret."

CHAPTER XX

About nine in the evening Phut left the inn "Under the Ship" in company
with a negro who carried a torch. Half an hour earlier Asarhadon sent
out a confidential servant, commanding him to observe carefully if the
guest from Harran left the house of the "Green Star," and if so to
follow him.

A second confidential servant went at a certain distance behind Phut;
in the narrower streets he hid among the houses, on the broader ones he
feigned drunkenness.

The streets were empty; carriers and hucksters were sleeping. There was
light only in the houses of artisans who were at work, or in those of
rich people who were feasting on the terraces. In various houses were
heard the sounds of harps and flutes, songs, laughter, the blows of
hammers, the sound of saws in the hands of cabinet makers; at times the
cry of a drunken man, or a call for assistance.

The streets along which Phut and the slave passed were narrow for the
greater part, crooked and full of holes. As they approached the end of
the journey, the stone houses were lower and lower, those of one story
more frequent, and there were more gardens, or rather palms, fig-trees,
and stunted acacias, which, inclining out from between the walls,
seemed to have the intention to escape from their places. On the Street
of Tombs the view changed on a sudden. In place of stone buildings
there were broad gardens, and in the middle of them splendid villas.
The negro stopped before one of the gates and quenched his torch.

"Here is the 'Green Star,'" said he, and, making a low bow to Phut, he
turned homeward.

The man of Harran knocked at the gate. After a while the gatekeeper
appeared. He looked attentively at the stranger, and muttered,

"Anael, Sachiel."

"Amabiel, Abalidot," answered Phut.

"Be greeted," said the gatekeeper; and he opened quickly to the
visitor.

When he had passed some tens of steps between trees, Phut found himself
in the antechamber of the villa, where the priestess whom he knew
greeted him. Farther in stood some man with black beard and hair;