staff loudly on the floor, and straightway fell into such a
violent fit of coughing that his whole lean body shook with the
paroxysm.

Sah-luma laughed heartily,--laughter in which he was joined by all
the assembled maidens, including the gentle, pensive-eyed
Niphrata. Standing erect in his glistening princely attire, with
one hand resting familiarly on Theos's arm, and the sparkle of
mirth lighting up his handsome features, he formed the greatest
contrast imaginable to the little shrunken old personage, who,
clinging convulsively to his staff, was entirely absorbed in his
efforts to control and overcome his sudden and unpleasant attack
of threatened suffocation.

"Theos, my friend,"--he said, still laughing--"Thou must know the
admirable Zabastes,--a man of vast importance in his own opinion!
Have done with thy wheezing,"--he continued, vehemently thumping
the struggling old gentleman on the back--"Here is another one of
the minstrel craft thou hatest,--hast aught of bitterness in thy
barbed tongue wherewith to welcome him as guest to mine abode?"

Thus adjured, the old man peered up at Theos inquisitively, wiping
away the tears that coughing had brought into his eyes, and after
a minute or two began also to laugh in a smothered, chuckling
way,--a laugh that resembled the croaking of frogs in a marshy
pool.

"Another one of the minstrel-craft," he echoed derisively--"Aye,
aye! ... Like meets like, and fools consorts with fool. The guest
of Sah-luma, . . Hearken, young man,--" and he drew closer, the