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Ledscha laughed incredulously: "He--obey a woman!"

"He certainly would not submit to a man," replied the slave "Artists, you must knoould rather oppose ten of the most powerful men than one ohter of Archias--thereby hangs a tale"

"Archias?" interrupted the girl "The rich Alexandrian ns the great weaving house?"

"The veryHered to serve her?"

"As men serve the Deity, to the utmost, or truth," replied the slave importantly "Archias, the father, it is true, imposed upon us the debt which is most tardily paid, and which people, even in this country, call 'gratitude' We are under obligations to the oldit--and therefore also to his only child"

"For what?" Ledscha indignantly exclaimed, and the dark eyebrohich met above her delicate nose contracted suspiciously "I must know!"

"Must!" repeated the slave "That word is a ploughshare which suits only loose soil, andfor me, can not be tilled even by the sharpest Another tie for Hermon----"

"Nothing," she replied defiantly; but Bias, in a tone of the irl You are the fairest ahest Biamite families, and probably the richest also, and therefore a thousand tiood to yield what adorns you to the Greek, that it may tickle the curiosity of the Alexandrian apes There are h women in the capital to serve that purpose Trust the experience of a irl He will throw you aside like an empty wine bottle when he has used you for a model"

"Used?" interrupted Ledscha disdainfully; but he repeated with firm decision: "Yes, used! What could you learn of life, of art and artists, here in the weaver's nest in the midst of the waves? I know them A sculptor needs beautiful women as a cobbler wants leather, and the charms he seeks in you he does not conceal froe almond-shaped eyes and your arht by their curves when, in draater, you hold the jug balanced on your head Your slender arched foot, too, is a welcome morsel to him"