most
marvellous thing on earth, being a Bombay singing nautch-girl--undefamed.
There has been no one else, these ages."

The Doctor sat smoking, apparently oblivious of his guests.

"The Spartan Helen?" Cadman suggested.

"Hah! The Spartan Helen was not invincible!"

"The Noor Mahal?"

"The Noor Mahal was always in seclusion."

"Her name?" Skag questioned.

"She had no name," the Doctor answered, "but she was called 'Dhoop Ki
Dhil'--Heart-of-the-Sun; possibly on account of her voice. There has
been none like it. The master-mahouts of High Himalaya, their voices
pass those of all other men for splendour; but I tell you there was none
other in the world, beside hers. Rich men in Bombay would give fortunes
to anyone who would find her."

"Then she is not dead?" Skag spoke startled.

"We do not know that she is dead," the Doctor answered. "We would
suppose so, but for a curious happening four days before she disappeared.
Down in the silk-market a dealer was buying silk from an up-country
native--a man from the Grass Jungle. The native was exceptionally good
to look upon. Dhoop Ki Dhil came into the place to make some purchase.
Her eye fell on the jungle man and she stood back. She was a valuable
customer, so the silk-merchant made haste to signal her forward. But she
shook her head and moved further back."

The Doctor stopped to smoke.

"After a while Dhoop Ki Dhil came forward, moving like one in a trance,
and said to the jungle man, 'Are you a god?' and the jungle man answered
her with shame, 'No, I am a common man.'

"Now that silk-merchant will tell no more. One doesn't blame him. The
natives are not patient with such a tale of her. To hear that any man
had taken her eye, maddened them. She had passed the snares of
desire--immune. She had turned away from fabulous wealth. She had
denied princes and kings. She smiled on all men alike--with that smile
mothers have for little children."

"She was a mother-thing," murmured Cadman.

The Doctor turned, questioning:

"A mother-thing? Yes, probably. But she led the singing women like a
super-being incarnate. She led the dancing women like a living flame.
They sing and dance yet, but the fire of life is gone out!"

"Where is the Grass Jungle?" Cadman asked.

"Nobody seems to know. As for me, I never heard of it--till this. The
silk-merchants say that once in several years some strange man--one or
another--in strange garments, comes dow