ative
magnificence. Every moment she glided to the great mirror; as often she
tore off a garment or a jewel, flung it down impatiently, and seized
others from her boundless store. At last she stood clad like a fabled
daughter of old Bagdad; a robe of shimmering silk reached her ankles,
outlining every grace of her splendid figure; upon her head she had set
a tiara, priceless with gems whose fire dazzled even their wearer; on
arms and fingers, ankles and toes, lustrous rings and bracelets made
flashing lightning with her every movement; at her girdled waist was a
dagger whose sheath could have ransomed a prince.

She stood like a statue, except for the rise and fall of her breast; her
eyes glittered at her gorgeous reflection in the mirror. Then suddenly
her expression changed, her lips parted in scorn, and with a savage,
tigerish gesture, she tore off her splendors. She stood once more in her
simple tunic of knee-length, sleeveless, beauty-revealing; and picking
up her dagger with the gold cord she knotted it about her waist and
again regarded herself closely.

And where before she had looked upon a gorgeous woman, royally clad,
weighted with gems formed by man's art, now she gazed into the limpid,
fathomless eyes of a living goddess--royally clad in her own peerless
loveliness, crowned with a wealth of lustrous hair in which the gleams
of gold outshone the tiara she had discarded. And her face lighted; a
delicate flush overspread her cheeks; the full, luscious red lips parted
in a veritable Cupid's bow; and she laughed a rippling, heart-warming
laugh that brought the small, even teeth glistening into view.

Dolores was satisfied at last. Without further hesitation she hurried
along to the rear of the chamber and emerged into the Grove of Mysteries
by way of a door known only to herself and Milo. From there she made her
way silently and darkly toward the council hall.

CHAPTER X.

A REED SHAKEN BY THE WINDS OF PASSION.

Rupert Venner sat on the floor of his prison, tugging at his chains with
an absent, aimless, all but perpetual motion; for he had long since
convinced himself that his fetters could not be broken or loosed. The
ruby light that had shown him the food and wine placed for him had faded
away to the faintest red glow which scarcely sufficed to reach the
tabouret. That mattered little; Venner had eaten when he was hungry,
drunk when dry, and knew the position of the flagon and dish to the
ultima