st be the same. The gods have
permitted the possible. I was here to tell you."

"Tell me what?" demanded Amory with ungrateful irritation. "Is the
stuff poison?" he asked, tottering in spite of himself as he crossed
the floor toward him. But Jarvo turned his face, and upon it was
such an incongruous terror that Amory involuntarily stood still.

"There are known to be two," said Jarvo, holding the vase at arm's
length, "and the one is abundant life, if the draught is not
over-measured. But the other is ten thousand times worse than
death."

"What do you mean?" cried Amory roughly. "What are you talking
about? If the stuff is poison can't you say so?"

Jarvo looked at him swiftly.

"These things are not spoken aloud in Yaque," he said simply, and
after that he held his peace. Amory threatened him and laughed at
him, but Jarvo shook his head. At last Amory scoffed at the whole
matter and stretched out his hand for the vase.

"Come," he said, "at all events I'll take it with me. It can't be
very much worse than the American liqueurs."

"My word for it, sir, beggin' your pardon," said Rollo earnestly,
"it's a kind of what you might call med-i-eval Burgundy, sir."

"It is not well," said Jarvo, handing the vase with reluctance, "yet
take it--but see that it touches no lips. I charge you that, adon."

Amory smiled and slipped the little vase in his coat pocket.

"It's all right," he said, "I won't let it get away from me. I can
find my legs now; I'll go back down. Look sharp, Rollo. Be down
there with the oil-skins. We put on this Tyrian purple stuff over
the whole outfit," he explained to Jarvo, "and I suppose, you know,
that you can get both robes back here for us, if we escape in them?"

"Assuredly, adon," said Jarvo, "and you must escape without delay.
This wine must mean that the prince, too, wishes you harm. Now let
me be before you for a little, so that no one may see us together. I
shall go now, immediately, to the motor--it is waiting already by
the wall on the side of the courtyard opposite the windows of the
banquet hall. I shall not fail you."

"On the side of the courtyard opposite the windows of the banquet
room," repeated Amory. "Thanks, Jarvo. You're all kinds of a good
fellow."

"Yes, adon," gravely assented the little man from the threshold.

Ten minutes later Amory followed. Already Rollo had packed the
oil-skins, and Amory, his nerves steadied and the excitement of all
that the night promi