quivered
with rage, as she exclaimed: "And you not only say it but mean it? Is it
possible?"

"Not only possible, but positive, sweetheart," replied the old man,
putting out his hand to take hers, but she shrank back, exclaiming
vehemently:

"I will not be your sweetheart, if you speak so of her! A man as old as
you are ought to be just. You do not know her at all, and what you say
about her heart..."

"Gently, gently, child," the widow put in; and Horapollo answered with
peculiar emphasis.

"That heart, my little whirlwind!--it would be well for us all if we
could forget it, forget it for good or for evil. She has been tried
to-day, and that heart is sentenced to cease beating."

"Sentenced! Merciful Heaven!" shrieked Pulcheria, and as she started up
her mother cried out:

"For God's sake do not jest about such things, it is a sin.--Is it
true?--Is it possible? Those wretches, those... I see in your face it is
true; they have condemned Paula."

"As you say," replied Horapollo calmly. "The girl is to be executed."

"And you only tell us now?" wept Pulcheria, while Mary broke out:

"And yet you have been able to jest and laugh, and you--I hate you! And
if you were not such a helpless, old, old man..." But here Joanna again
silenced the child, and she asked between her sobs:

"Executed?--Will they cut off her head? And is there no mercy for her
who was as far away from that luckless fight as we were--for her, a
girl, and the daughter of Thomas?"

To which the old man replied:

"Wait a while, only wait! Heaven has perhaps chosen her for great ends.
She may be destined to save a whole country and nation from destruction
by her death. It is even possible..."

"Speak out plainly; you make me shudder with your oracular hints," cried
the widow; but he only shrugged his shoulders and said coolly:

"What we foresee is not yet known. Heaven alone can decide in such a
case. It will be well for us all--for me, for her, for Pulcheria, and
even our absent Philip, if the divinity selects her as its instrument.
But who can see into darkness? If it is any comfort to you, Joanna, I
can inform you that the soft-hearted Kadi and his Arab colleagues, out
of sheer hatred of the Vekeel, who is immeasurably their superior in
talent and strength of will, will do everything in their power...." "To
save her?" exclaimed the widow.

"To-morrow they will hold council and decide whether to send a messenger
to Medina to implore par