Page 22 of 134

Then another thought came into her mind--Hermo. He had begun to

teach her the mysteries of his science of Astrology. Hermo, for

whom she had a pure sisterly regard and who was so proud of her

swift proficiency in his favorite study. And then she recalled

the vision of the previous night when Hermo had shown to her

clairvoyant eye his agitation at her impending doom.

"But if I become Nu-nah and Nu-nah becomes Sarthia, Hermo will

never know the difference and thus be spared the pain of loving

his young sister. And furthermore, Nu-nah has a lover to whom she

is betrothed and would have married, ere this, but for her

lingering malady, the superb young Prince Rathunor, whom I have

never seen."

Ah! here was indeed a most dire complication. Love was a most

mysterious and unknown emotion to her. She might hate Prince

Rathunor and "then we would both wish I had died," and she half

laughed to herself at the domestic comedy thus presented to her

mind.