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Suddenly froh of a woman's shrill voice reached his ear, blended with the deeper tones of the graht Herh had pierced him to the heart Proclus appeared to be on the most familiar terms with Althea, and to ed forto share it with these two As he dared not disturb Myrtilus, there was only one place where he could find what he needed, and this was--he had said so to hi friend--in Daphne's society

Only yesterday he would have sought her without a second thought, but to-day Althea's declaration that he was the only hter of Archias loved stood between him and his friend

He knew that from childhood she had watched his every step with sisterly affection A hundred times she had proved her loyalty; yet, dear as she was to hily as he would have risked his life to save her froive the tie that united them the name of love

An older relative of both in Alexandria had once advised hi of his poverty, to seek her hand, but his pride ofthe wealth which fate denied flung into his lap by a woman When she looked at hiht hi, least of all a passion of which, tenderly attached to her though he had been for years, hitherto he had known nothing

"Do you love her?" Hermon asked himself as he walked toward Daphne's tent, and the anticipated "No" had pressed itself upon hi was undeniably certain: whoever won her for a wife--even though she were the poorest of the poor-- the nise in his aversion to every one of her suitors, and now to the aristocratic young Philotas, a feeling which resembled jealousy?

No! He did not and would not love Daphne If she were really his, and whatever concerned hiht in hours like these soothing, kind, and sensible counsel, co dehich his fading courage and faltering creative power required?

The bare thought of touching clay and ith his fingers, or taking hammer, chisel, and file in his hands, was now repulsive; and when, just outside of the tent, a Bia fish to the cook reht retted it