plans, and
fallen in love with her by anticipation. As it was, however, he was
simply wildly curious, and also, like myself, considerably awed, for,
though no hint had been given to him by Ayesha of her extraordinary age,
he not unnaturally came to identify her with the woman spoken of on
the potsherd. At last, quite driven into a corner by his continual
questions, which he showered on me while he was dressing on this third
morning, I referred him to Ayesha, saying, with perfect truth, that I
did not know where Ustane was. Accordingly, after Leo had eaten a hearty
breakfast, we adjourned into _She's_ presence, for her mutes had orders
to admit us at all hours.

She was, as usual, seated in what, for want of a better term, we called
her boudoir, and on the curtains being drawn she rose from her couch
and, stretching out both hands, came forward to greet us, or rather
Leo; for I, as may be imagined, was now quite left in the cold. It was
a pretty sight to see her veiled form gliding towards the sturdy young
Englishman, dressed in his grey flannel suit; for, though he is half a
Greek in blood, Leo is, with the exception of his hair, one of the most
English-looking men I ever saw. He has nothing of the subtle form or
slippery manner of the modern Greek about him, though I presume that
he got his remarkable personal beauty from his foreign mother, whose
portrait he resembles not a little. He is very tall and big-chested, and
yet not awkward, as so many big men are, and his head is set upon him in
such a fashion as to give him a proud and vigorous air, which was well
translated in his Amahagger name of the "Lion."

"Greeting to thee, my young stranger lord," she said in her softest
voice. "Right glad am I to see thee upon thy feet. Believe me, had I not
saved thee at the last, never wouldst thou have stood upon those feet
again. But the danger is done, and it shall be my care"--and she flung a
world of meaning into the words--"that it doth return no more."

Leo bowed to her, and then, in his best Arabic, thanked her for all her
kindness and courtesy in caring for one unknown to her.

"Nay," she answered softly, "ill could the world spare such a man.
Beauty is too rare upon it. Give me no thanks, who am made happy by thy
coming."

"Humph! old fellow," said Leo aside to me in English, "the lady is very
civil. We seem to have tumbled into clover. I hope that you have made
the most of your opportunities. By Jove! what a pair