"It will be also strictly necessary for you to take with you some royal gifts, so as to give colour to your leaving. I have control of the queen's treasure-house, and I shall attend to this, and send you some of our artwork in gold, with a few good stones. I shall also give you, as a parting gift from myself, some dainties of my own preparing to partake of on your journey." Sotu smiled gently as he said these words, and took his departure. "Have nothing to do with the king's quails and dainties. He is an adept at poisoning, and he only smiles like that when he meditates torture and death," said Pylea, earnestly, as soon as the royal wretch had gone. "He is a genial gentleman," replied Ned, lightly. "I wonder he hasn't long since poisoned his wife." "He dare not, for his own sake. When she dies his daughter will reign, and her first act will be to strangle her father." "Blessed King Sotu!--happy land!" said our heroes. By sundown they were all prepared to leave. In the dusk several mutes brought the promised gifts from the treasury. Some time afterwards the dainties arrived in golden vessels. Our heroes emptied the eatables out on a shrub-covered part of the garden, but the dishes they packed up with the other articles of virtu. There were a water bag full of large diamonds, and over three hundredweight of cups, vases, and images of gods made from the purest gold. The hearts of our adventurers beat lightly as they distributed this precious weight amongst their packages. Six hours after this they paced the ground and watched the illuminated palaces from the walls of their garden, in a fever of unrest and anxiety. Their hopes were all depending upon the self-restraint of this hopeless drunkard, and Pylea. Would she succeed? The full moon shone over the city, so beautiful and stately, with its carved and painted walls, delicious gardens, deep canals, arches, and wide steps; on its monuments, obelisks, sphinxes, and mighty temples; on its crowded, broad avenued streets and gleaming lake beyond, where floated the sloping-prowed barges, with their awnings and gilded saloons. Would Pylea succeed and secure the ring? The chariots were standing laden inside the garden walls, ready for the leopards to be harnessed to them. The young amazons were fondling the fed and tamed beasts in their cages within the stables, or walking beside their sable friends in the side avenues. They were bidding the handsome Kaffirs, whom they could not keep, farewell. Womanlike, they would rather see them go than see them owned by more powerful rivals. But they were grave and melancholy at the coming sacrifice, and did not resent the dark manly arms that were round their armoured waists. Doubtless they were listening to words that they would not soon forget.