wine and oil and fruit, I doubt not that the
whole sales will amount to an hundred talents of gold."

"Last year they only yielded eighty-five," remarked the queen, who had
affected to listen to the whole account with the greatest interest. "I
am well pleased, Phraortes. Tell me of the cattle and sheep--and of the
slaves; whether many have died this year."

"There are five hundred head of cattle, and one hundred calves dropped
in the last two months. From the scarcity of rain this year, the fodder
has been almost destroyed, and there is little hay from the winter. I
have, therefore, sent great numbers of slaves with camels to the farther
plains to eastward, whence they return daily with great loads of hay--of
a coarse kind, but serviceable. As for the flocks, they are now
pasturing for the summer upon the slopes of the Zagros mountains. There
were six thousand head of sheep and two thousand head of goats at the
shearing in the spring, and the wool is already sold for eight talents.
As for the slaves, I have provided for them after a new fashion. There
were many young men from the captives that came after the war two years
ago. For these I have purchased wives of the dealers from Scythia. These
Scythians sell all their women at a low price. They are hideous
barbarians, speaking a strange tongue, but they are very strong and
enduring, and I doubt not they will multiply exceedingly and bring large
profits--"

"Thou art extraordinarily fluent in thy speech," interrupted the king.
"But there are details that the queen wishes to know. Thou art aware
that in a frontier country like the province of Ecbatana, it is often
necessary to protect the crops and the flocks from robbers. Hast thou
therefore thought of arming any of these slaves for this purpose?"

"Let not the king be angry with his servant," returned Phraortes,
without hesitation. "There are many thousand soldiers of the king in
Echatana, and the horsemen traverse the country continually. I have not
armed any of the slaves, for I supposed we were safe in the protection
of the king's men. Nevertheless, if the Great King command me--"

"Thou couldst arm them immediately, I suppose?" interrupted Darius. He
watched Atossa narrowly; her face was in the shadow.

"Nay," replied Phraortes, "for we have no arms. But if the king will
give us swords and spearheads--"

"To what end?" asked Atossa. She was perfectly calm since she saw that
there was no fear of Phraortes mak