s, had understood best what we understand the least; that thou
hadst learned the hidden thought of this dumb woman by long holding of
her hand; that, as ye had been friendly to her, she might be able to
lead you unto us; and lastly, that it would be no breach of our laws if
thou tookest this woman to thine own land and madest her thy wife; that
if we could thus save our city, and the lives of the people, it would be
wisdom to give her to thee, together with all the women in the Park.
Then another grey-beard, wishing to share the credit for a wise idea,
arose and insisted that it would be ill in us to keep the strange white
animal, which one of the men found upon the plateau. We knew that ye
must have brought this, for in all our land we have no four-footed thing
smaller than the useful burden-carrying asses ye have seen. Wherefore,
the wisdom of the grey-beards being now complete, we sent the dumb girl
and the white animal out with the soldier, and they have brought you
hither."

"So you have been falling in love with a queen of your own making, who
is no more than a dumb idiot!" chuckled the doctor.

"Silence!" I shouted hotly, for I was unspeakably sorry for the poor
girl. "There are softer, kinder words than those by which to call a
poor blank soul that's born awry. The Kemi are quite right, for this
girl, having no sense, has yet been wiser to-day than both of us and all
these wise men." Then turning, I addressed the ruler in Hebrew:

"Thou shouldst know that in our land the seizing of the right hand is a
salutation of friendship and welcome, much the same as the pressure of
the cheek is here. We had vainly tried to signal to your soldiers that
we were friendly, and when this woman stretched out her pretty hand I
was pleased to seize it warmly. Call thou a soldier now and send her
safely home. Let the white rabbit belong henceforth to her. She hath
unwittingly been God's messenger in bringing us together. Mayhap she
hath saved the lives of many of the people. Wherefore let them remember
her, and henceforth treat her kindly. And as for those other women in
the Park, bid them all return to their homes, and let it generally be
known that there will be peace, and no further war. The terms of truce
we will arrange with thee and with the Pharaoh somewhat later. We wish
no gifts or offerings of peace. No more do we desire than that the
Pharaoh shall entertain us for a season until we learn your ways, and
then permit us t