draw him, brother, they draw him."

"Where do they draw him to?" demanded Pine, his voice thick with
passion.

"To the Gorgious house of the baro rai, the brother of your romi. Like
an owl does he go after dusk to watch the nest."

"Owl," muttered Pine savagely. "Cuckoo, rather. Prove this, my sister,
and I help you to gain the love you desire."

"It's a bargain, brother"--she held out her hand inquiringly--"but no
knife."

Pine shook hands. "It's a bargain, sister. Your wedding-ring will part
them as surely as any knife. Tell me more!" And Chaldea in whispers told
him all.




CHAPTER V.

THE WOMAN AND THE MAN.


Quite unaware that Destiny, that tireless spinner, was weaving sinister
red threads of hate and love into the web of his life, Lambert continued
to live quietly in his woodland retreat. In a somewhat misanthropic
frame of mind he had retired to this hermitage, after the failure of his