and the door. As he spoke, Atossa's quick eyes
caught sight of a figure coming quickly up the last steps of the
stairway. She recognised Nehushta instantly, but no trembling of her
lids or colouring of her cheek, betrayed that she had seen the approach
of her enemy. She fixed her deep-blue eyes upon Zoroaster's, and gazing
somewhat sadly, she spoke in low and gentle tones:

"The time has seemed long to me since you rode away, Zoroaster," she
said.

Zoroaster, astonished at the manner in which she spoke, turned pale, and
looked down coldly at her beautiful face. At that moment Nehushta
stepped upon the smooth marble pavement of the balcony.

Still Atossa kept her eyes fixed on Zoroaster's.

"You answer me nothing?" she said in broken tones. Then suddenly, as
though acting under an irresistible impulse, she threw her arms wildly
about his neck and kissed him passionately again and again.

"Oh Zoroaster, Zoroaster, my beloved!" she cried, "you must never, never
leave me again!" And again she kissed him, and fell forward upon his
breast, holding him so tightly that, for a moment, he did not know which
way to move. He put his hands upon her shoulders, to her waist--to try
to push her from him. But it was in vain; she clung to him desperately
and sobbed upon his breast.

In the sudden and fearful embarrassment in which he was placed, he did
not hear a short, low groan far off behind him, nor the sound of quickly
retreating steps upon the stairs. But Atossa heard and rejoiced
fiercely; and when she looked up, Nehushta was gone, with the incurable
wound in her breast.

Atossa suddenly let her arms fall from the warrior's neck, looked into
his eyes once, and then, with a short, sharp cry, she buried her face in
her hands and leaned back against the door-post by the heavy striped
curtain.

"Oh, my God! What have I done?" she moaned.

Zoroaster stood for one moment in hesitation and doubt. It seemed as
though he had received a sudden revelation of numberless things he had
never understood. He spoke quietly, at last, with a great effort, and
his voice sounded kindly.

"I thank the good powers that I do not love thee--and I would that thou
didst not love me. For I am the Great King's servant, faithful to
death--and if I loved thee I should be a liar, and a coward, and the
basest of all mankind. Forget, I pray thee, that thou hast spoken, and
let me depart in peace. For the Great King is at hand, and thou must not
suffe