the
great curtains at the end of the hall were drawn wide and through
them entered the 'Lady of the Night' herself. Nor did she come
alone. Preceding her was Agon, the High Priest, arrayed in his
most gorgeous vestments, and on either side were other priests.
The reason for their presence was obvious -- coming with them
it would have been sacrilege to attempt to detain her. Behind
her were a number of the great lords, and behind them a small
body of picked guards. A glance at Sorais herself was enough
to show that her mission was of no peaceful kind, for in place
of her gold embroidered 'kaf' she wore a shining tunic formed
of golden scales, and on her head a little golden helmet. In
her hand, too, she bore a toy spear, beautifully made and fashioned
of solid silver. Up the hall she came, looking like a lioness
in her conscious pride and beauty, and as she came the spectators
fell back bowing and made a path for her. By the sacred stone
she halted, and laying her hand on it, she cried out with a loud
voice to Nyleptha on the throne, 'Hail, oh Queen!'

'All hail, my royal sister!' answered Nyleptha. 'Draw thou near.
Fear not, I give thee safe conduct.'

Sorais answered with a haughty look, and swept on up the hall
till she stood right before the thrones.

'A boon, oh Queen!' she cried again.

'Speak on, my sister; what is there that I can give thee who
hath half our kingdom?'

'Thou canst tell me a true word -- me and the people of Zu-Vendis.
Art thou, or art thou not, about to take this foreign wolf,'
and she pointed to Sir Henry with her toy spear, 'to be a husband
to thee, and share thy bed and throne?'

Curtis winced at this, and turning towards Sorais, said to her
in a low voice, 'Methinks that yesterday thou hadst other names
than wolf to call me by, oh Queen!' and I saw her bite her lips
as, like a danger flag, the blood flamed red upon her face.
As for Nyleptha, who is nothing if not original, she, seeing
that the thing was out, and that there was nothing further to
be gained by concealment, answered the question in a novel and
effectual manner, inspired thereto, as I firmly believe, by coquetry
and a desire to triumph over her rival.

Up she rose and, descending from the throne, swept in all the
glory of her royal grace on to where her lover stood. There
she stopped and untwined the golden snake that was wound around
her arm. Then she bade him kneel, and he dropped on one knee
on the marbl