St. Nona did in the _Lives of the Saints_?" He told her it was more like
that they would only get her darling little head cut off, if no worse,
but he could not get her to think that mattered at all at all. She would
have a crown and a palm up in heaven, and after her name in the Calendar
on earth, bless her.'

Then he went on to tell that Yakoub was furious at the notion of
resigning his prize, and (Agamemnon-like) declared that if she were taken
from him he should demand Victorine from Eyoub. Unfortunately she was
recovering her good looks in the mountain air; and, worse still, the
spring of her 'blessed little Polichinelle' was broken, though happily no
one guessed it, and hitherto it had been enough to show them the box.

CHAPTER XIII--CHRYSEIS AND BRISEIS

'The child
Restore, I pray, her proffered ransom take,
And in His priest, the Lord of Light revere.
Then through the ranks assenting murmurs rang,
The priest to reverence, and the ransom take.'

HOMER (DERBY).

For one moment, before emerging from the forest, looking through an
opening in the trees, down a steep slope, a group of children could be
seen on the grass in front of the huts composing the adowara, little
brown figures in scanty garments, lying about evidently listening
intently to the figure, the gleam of whose blonde hair showed her
instantly to be Estelle de Bourke.

However, either the deputation had been descried, or Eyoub may have made
some signal, for when the calvalcade had wound about through the
remaining trees, and arrived among the huts, no one was to be seen. There
was only the irregular square of huts built of rough stones and thatched
with reeds, with big stones to keep the thatch on in the storm; a few
goats were tethered near, and there was a rush of the great savage dogs,
but they recognised Eyoub and Lanty, and were presently quieted.

'This is the chief danger,' whispered Lanty.

'Pray heaven the rogues do not murder them rather than give them up!'

The Sunakite, beginning to make strange contortions and mutterings in a
low voice, seemed to terrify Eyoub greatly. Whether he pointed it out or
not, or whether Eyoub was induced by his gestures to show it, was not
clear to Arthur's mind; but at the chief abode, an assemblage of two
stone hovels and rudely-built walls, the party halted, and made a loud
knocking at the door, Hadji Eseb's solemn tones bidding those within to
open in the n