And without resistance the king suffered himself to be led in
silence across the glimmering sand. On one great paw of the
Spinx she made him seat himself, and threw herself at his feet.
“ Now, my king, canst thou not tell me thy troubles —here,
where Fate gave thee me for a wife? We are alone, and no one
can hear but thee and I.”
But even as she spoke, a tawny form detatched itself from the
shadows of the forest and stealthily moved toward them. It was
the leopard !
“I am not troubled,” slowly answered Meneptah. “Nay,
more than that, lam filled with joy.” And there was a strange
light in his eyes and a strange note in his voice which Mercade
noticed not.
“ Mayhap that is because I am herewith thee,” softly mur
mured Mercade. And she caressed his listless hand lovingly,
while the tawny form drew nearer.
“ Yea, that is indeed the reason. Thou hast guessed aright,”
answered Meneptali with a ring of triumph in his voice.
The leopard was now directly behind them in the deep shadows.
As it ljeard the king’s voice its lips parted in a horrible smile,
showing two rows of pearly, glistening, cruel teeth, and it
crouched lower upon the sSnd.
“ Dost thou, then, love me so dearly?” pursued Mercade, coo-
ingly.
' ‘ hove thee!” cried Meneptali, scornfully. ‘' Yea. I love thee
as man loves the snake.” And he laughed harshly.
Mercade, stung by the bitter words, sprang to her feet and
drew away from the king. The leopard lashed his side with his
tail and grinned horribly.
“ Canst thou not understand, foolish woman, that I have never
loved thee—do not love thee? Canst thou not see that I married
thee for thy wealth alone? Dost thou not know that I have long
waited for such an opportunity as I now have to kill thee and
gain sole command of the kingdom?”
Mercade stood rigid as a statue, her face drawn with pain, her
eyes full upon her master. The leopard growled ominously and
crouched ready to spring.
" Thou wouldst not dare to kill me,” she cried. " Vengeance
would fall on thy head for murdering a defenceless woman.”
“ Meneptah, the king, dares anything,” replied he, hotly.
The Free Lance .
[May,