Stephen

all living! Garlanded with

clear sweet voice, two men who were climbing the stee

one of deep satisfaction. "A voice of gold t

companion, wiping his hot face. "T

to waste like water spilled in the desert. Why buy slaves for gold, when

arrow black eyes. "In thy heaven-bestowed wisdom forget not that it was I who ca

alt have

thee leave t

incess will buy slaves? Half the price of the two sha

am thy sister t

far from me,

abode with has

more. I see

the unse

ped in the midst of his bargaining. "Come! What sayest thou?" he added persuasively. "Ha

e other rudely. "Be it so; but lie to me

ed the top of the

not let he

ot let her hear th

li

en she carries a singing bird in her thr

hair, gathered away from her forehead and plaited in several thick braids, revealed a thin face, delicately featured, the smooth brown cheeks faintly flushed with a warmth, which in the drooping mouth deepened to scarlet. Her eyes were large and black, but curiously exp

feet upon the rock, the blind

eth?" she sai

"it is only a wayfarer who heard a goddess chanting to h

se rocky walls was pictured gaudily the long-since-en

and be crowned with perfumed garlands, and all this shall shortly happen if thou wilt but come with me. Listen!" he added imperatively in the Greek tongue, addressing his companion. "I will take the girl w

he swiftness of a tigress she sprang to her feet, and with a sudden powerful push of her strong young arms sent the unfortunate man flying backward over the verge. Then with a loud scream she turned, and, elud

e is not easy to cage. And what then has become of our

ss of dingy red drapery, lodged against the side of a great boulder, and thi

tensely, her hands upon her heart, as though she feared that its loud beating might betray her hiding-pl

of the Sun in thy shining chariot! why dost thou not smite such wic

outed a voice. "

the girl, rising to her

id the newcomer anxious

ared at her in amazement and fear, then hastily casting aside the skin water-bottle with its tinkling brass cups, which he carrie

. Thou must indeed, little one. I should not have left

y managed to tell her story, albeit i

brother, knitting his black brows angrily, "

e will not care for buying and selling on the morrow. I know not how I could have done it, but of a sudden I felt a grea

ath befallen him, the gods helped thee. But the other--there were two,

We are even as the birds that flee before the

nto the desert. So also will we. I know of a secure

we go

red together our possessions; but

. Through the midst of these plains rolled the sacred river, like a flood of gold. On either side of it rose the white walls and strange many-colored towers of the city of Memphis, all transfigured in the shining mist of the se