eep
dreams. At first these were vague and shadowy, then they grew more
clear. She dreamed that she saw a dim and moonlit garden, and in it
a vast tree with twisted roots that seemed familiar to her. Something
moving among the branches of this tree attracted her attention, but for
a long while she watched it without being able to discover what it was.
Now she saw. The moving thing was a hideous black dwarf with beady eyes,
who held in his hand a little ivory tipped bow, on the string of which
was set an arrow. Her consciousness concentrated itself upon this arrow,
and though she knew not how, she became aware that it was poisoned.
What was the dwarf doing in the tree with a bow and poisoned arrow,
she wondered? Suddenly a sound seemed to strike her ear, the sound of a
man's footsteps walking over grass, and she perceived that the figure of
the dwarf, crouched upon the bough, became tense and alert, and that his
fingers tightened upon the bow-string until the blood was driven from
their yellow tips. Following the glance of his wicked black eyes, she
saw advancing through the shadow a tall man clad in a dark robe. Now he
emerged into a patch of moonlight and stood looking around him as though
he were searching for some one. Then the dwarf raised himself to his
knees upon the bough, and, aiming at the bare throat of the man, drew
the bow-string to his ear. At this moment the victim turned his head and
the moonlight shone full upon his face. It was that of the prince Aziel.

*****

Elissa awoke from her vision with a little cry, then rose trembling, and
strove to comfort herself in the thought that although it was so very
vivid she had dreamed but a dream. Still shaken and unnerved, she passed
into another chamber, and made pretence to eat of the meal that was made
ready for her, for it was now the hour of sunset. While she was thus
employed, it was announced that the Phoenician, Metem, desired to speak
with her, and she commanded that he should be admitted.

"Lady," he said bowing, so soon as her attendants had withdrawn to the
farther end of the chamber, "you can guess my errand. This morning I
gave you certain tidings which proved both true and useful, and for
those tidings you promised a reward."

"It is so," she said, and going to a chest she drew from it an ivory
casket full of ornaments of gold and among them necklaces and other
objects set with uncut precious stones. "Take them," she said, "they are
yours; that i