er, and Martina delighted
in match-making. But in this case, though hearts had met, hands had
not, and finally it had been a real grief to Martina to hear Orion and
Heliodora called--and with good reason--a pair of lovers.

Once she had appealed in her genial way to the young man's conscience,
and he had replied that his father, who was a Jacobite, would never
consent to his union with a woman of any other confession. At that time
she had found little to answer; but she had often thought if only she
could make the Mukaukas acquainted with Heliodora, he, whom she had
known in the capital as a young and handsome admirer of every charming
woman, would certainly capitulate.

Her favorite niece had indeed every grace that a father's heart could
desire to attract the son. She was of good family, the widow of a man of
rank, rich, but just two and twenty, and beautiful enough to bewitch
old or young. A sweeter and gentler soul Martina had never known. Those
large dewy eyes-imploring eyes, she called them--might soften a stone,
and her fair waving hair was as soft as her nature. Add to this her
full, supple figure--and how perfectly she dressed, how exquisitely she
sang and struck the lute! It was not for nothing that she was courted by
every youth of rank in Constantinople--and if the old Mukaukas could
but hear her laugh! There was not a sound on earth more clear, more glad
than Heliodora's laugh. She was not indeed remarkable for intellect, but
no one could call her a simpleton, and your very clever women were not
to every man's taste.

So, when they were to travel to Egypt, Martina took it for granted that
Heliodora must go with them, and that the flirtation which had made
her favorite the talk of the town must, in Memphis, become courtship in
earnest. Then, when she heard at Alexandria that the Mukaukas was lately
dead, she regarded the game as won. Now they were in Memphis, Orion was
sitting before her, and the young man had invited her and her following
of above twenty persons to stay in his house. It was a foregone
conclusion that the travellers were to accept this bidding as prescribed
by the laws of hospitality, and preparations for the move were
immediately set on foot.

Justinus meanwhile explained what had brought them to Egypt, and begged
Orion's assistance. The young man had known the senator's nephew well as
one of the most brilliant and amiable youths of the capital, and he was
sincerely distressed to be for