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"Who is this, sir?" she asked of Philadelphus

"That," said Philadelphus evenly, to the actress, "is Laodice,

daughter of Costobarus"

"I do not understand," the actress said disgustedly "You are clumsy,

Philadelphus, when you are playful If this is all, I shall return to

into her path

"Hold!" she cried "Philadelphus, hast thou accepted this woman

without proofs?"

Philadelphus smiled and shook his head

"And by the by," he asked, "what proof have you?"

Up to that

that, by force of the justice of her cause, she ht overthrow this

preposterous villainy, but at Philadelphus' question she suddenly

chilled and blanched and shrank back A new and supree

of her loss presented itself to her at last She could not prove her

identity!

Meanwhile, seeing Laodice falter, the woman's lip curled

"Weak! Very weak, Philadelphus," she said "You

better The success of a jest is all that pardons a jester"

"She robbed me!" Laodice panted ie!"

"Of what?" the Greek asked

"My proofs--and two hundred talents!"