nswered Asti promptly.

"Neferte, ah! Certainly that was not the name which the spirit used,
though it is true that other name began with the same sound, or so I
think. Well, you and your companion, Neferte, escaped from those wicked
pirates, and managed to bring certain things with you, for instance,
that beautiful harp, wreathed with the royal _uraei_, and--but what is in
that second basket?"

"Pearls," broke in Tua quickly.

"And a large basket of pearls. Might I see them? Oh! do not be afraid, I
shall not rob those whose food I have eaten, it is against the custom of
the desert."

"Certainly," answered Tua. "I never thought that you would rob us, for
if you were of the tribe of thieves, surely you would be richer, and
less hungry than you seem. I only thought that you were almost blind,
Father Kepher, and therefore could not know the difference between a
pearl and a pebble."

"My feeling still remains to me, Daughter Neferte," he answered with a
little smile.

Then Tua gave him the basket. He opened it and drew out the strings of
pearls, feeling them, smelling and peering at them, touching them with
his tongue, especially the large single ones which were wrapped up by
themselves. At length, having handled them all, he restored them to the
basket, saying drily:

"It is strange, indeed, Nurse Asti, that those Syrian man-stealers
attempted no pursuit of you, for here, whether they were theirs or not,
are enough gems to buy a kingdom."

"We cannot eat pearls," answered Asti.

"No, but pearls will buy more than you need to eat."

"Not in a desert," said Asti.

"True, but as it chances there is a city in this desert, and not so very
far away."

"Is it named Napata?" asked Tua eagerly.

"Napata? No, indeed. Yet, I have heard of such a place, the City of Gold
they called it. In fact, once I visited it in my youth, over a hundred
years ago."

"A hundred years ago! Do you remember the way thither?"

"Yes, more or less, but on foot it is over a year's journey away, and
the path thither lies across great deserts and through tribes of savage
men. Few live to reach that city."

"Yet I will reach it, or die, Father."

"Perhaps you will, Daughter Neferte, perhaps you will, but I think not
at present. Meanwhile, you have a harp, and therefore it is probable
that you can play and sing; also you have pearls. Now the inhabitants of
this town whereof I spoke to you love music. Also they love pearls, and
as you ca