an inscriptions across each lotus written in
Malcourt's hand:

"I direct my face unto Him who hath created.

"Who maketh His messengers with two and three and four pairs of wings.

"And thou shall see them going in procession.

"This is what ye are promised: 'For the last hour will surely come;
there is no doubt thereof; but the greater part of men believe it not.'

"Thus, facing the stars, I go out among them into darkness.

"Say not for me the Sobhat with the ninety-nine; for the hundredth pearl
is the _Iman_--pearl beyond praise, pearl of the five-score names in
one, more precious than mercy, more priceless than compassion--Iman!
Iman! thy splendid name is Death!"

So lingered the living memory of Malcourt among men--a little
while--longer among women--then faded as shadows die at dusk when the
_mala_ is told for the soul that waits the Rosary of a Thousand Beads.

* * * * *

In January the _Ariani_ sailed with her owner aboard; but Hamil was not
with him.

In February Constance Palliser wrote Hamil from Palm Beach:

"It is too beautiful here and you must come.

"As for Shiela, I do not even pretend to understand her. I see
her every day; to-day I lunched with Mrs. Cardross, and Shiela
was there, apparently perfectly well and entirely her former
lovely self. Yet she has never yet spoken of you to me; and, I
learn from Mrs. Cardross, never to anybody as far as she knows.

"She seems to be in splendid health; I have seen her swimming,
galloping, playing tennis madly. The usual swarm of devoted youth
and smitten middle-age is in attendance. She wears neither black
nor colours; only white; nor does she go to any sort of
functions. At times, to me, she resembles a scarcely grown girl
just freed from school and playing hard every minute with every
atom of heart and soul in her play.

"Gray has an apology for a polo field and a string of ponies, and
Shiela plays with the men--a crazy, reckless, headlong game, in
which every minute my heart is in my mouth for fear somebody will
cannon into her, or some dreadful swing of a mallet will injure
her for life.

"But everybody is so sweet to her--and it is delightful to see
her with her own family--their pride and tenderness for her, and
her devotion to them.

"Mrs. Cardross asked me to-day what I thought might be the effect
on Shiela if you came. And, dear, I cou