Iarine's image again shone forth in sunny splendour, while that of Zelneth, late so radiant, showed like the vanishing moon with her weak superfluous light. But the last words of Oloola had cast him into a reverie. Glandreth had fallen by his hand how then should Glandreth conquer the Land of Palms? Had the voice

a hidden meaning, or no meaning at all? He had heard that Glandreth formerly sued for the hand of Jarine's mother, that Oloola loved the bold and beautiful chieftain, and made a solemn vow to be his friend and minister till Anthemmina's dying day. "And now that they two are dead," thought he, "perchance Oloola befriends Phantasmion; or it may be that, like the winds of heaven, she follows no settled course, to sport with human hopes and purposes her only plan." Raising his eyes from the ground he saw Malderyl's mansion upon the brow of the conical mountain, just visible in the distance, and thither he resolved to go and inquire again for Iarine. On reaching the gate Phantasmion made the rocks resound with his loud summons, and, ere the echoes had ceased, the porter and his grisly beard stood before him. "Hast thou seen any other maiden," cried the youth, "beside her who went to the woods with thy mistress?" "None since she was here," the porter replied. "But, just before she arrived, there came a shepherdess in company with a man of high degree. Her face was shaded with a hood, and she went forth alone, having a bucket and a bottle in her hand. Surprized to see the way she took, I watched her while she ascended that steep upward path. And on she went, so wondrous, fleet, and graceful, that, when she gained yon cloudy summit, I thought within myself,

"Is this a shepherdess or an angel going back into the sky?" Phantasmion hastened up the steep track to which the servant of Malderyl pointed, and wound along the mountain till he met an old man who was driving on goats before him. He stopped when the youth approached his flock. "Thou art a stranger by thy garb," said he; "dost thou know of the boiling fount, and the volcanic fires, which oft break forth on that part of the mountain to which thou art proceding? Daily I climb this hill "And didst thou lately see a damsel here," the youth inquired, "in the habit of a shepherdess?" "Yes, truly," answered he; "and I meant to give her warning, but she waved me off with her hand, and sped along so fast that even my goats could scarce have followed her. She entered the stony dell, which lies beyond the rocks, and there no doubt she perished." Phantasmion rushed away, passed the rocks, and entered the dell where the fountain was playing. He stood motionless at the entrance of the hollow till the water subsided, then approached the mound, and an icy chill seized his heart when he beheld a leathern bottle petrified on the edge of the well, with a bucket and chain lying close beside it. Believing that Iarine had been overtaken by the force of the waters, and had so lost her life, he sought about in desperation, expecting to find her fair body among the other petrifactions; but, seeing no trace of any such thing, he imagined that she had fallen into the well, and lying down on the edge of it, resolved there to remain and await destruction. Many times he was tempted to throw himself into the dark abyss, and, when he called on the name of Iarine, he thought that fierce

voices answered him. In this condition he remained till the moon rose and threw her cold beams over the stony dell; when, turning his eye once again toward the bucket, he descried the steel point of a petrified arrow shining a little beyond it. Instantly it struck him that this shaft had fallen from the quiver of some huntsman, perhaps Ulander himself, and that he might have borne Iarine away, either alive or dead. Roused by this thought he started up, hurried down the hill, and, about daybreak, knocked at the goatherd's cottage. The host of Albinian and Iarine came out with his finger on his lips. "There is a dying man in my house," quoth he, "I may not ask thee to enter. Thy steed has been taken care of. Thou wilt find him in yonder shed beside the marigolds." The goatherd having re-entered, Phantasmion found his good horse, which recognised him with signs of pleasure, but, so greatly exhausted was he, that, instead of mounting, he sank down by his side, and slept with his feet among the marigolds, and his head on the neck of the gentle beast. Ere he awoke at mid day,

one of Ulander's train came nigh and stopped his horse in admiration of the young monarch and his goodly steed, whose quick eye seemed to say, "Pass on, I pray thee, and disturb him not." The huntsman's cheek was fresh and glowing, while that of the slumberer looked pale amid the sunshine and the gleams of his golden bed. Art thou Ulander?" said Phantasmion starting up. "I would I were," the youth replied, with a smile: “not for his crown and palace, but for the sake of a most fair damsel, worthy of both, by whose side he is kneeling." "Wilt thou guide me to that palace?" cried the young king of Palmland, his burning cheeks and scintillating

eyes turned full on the huntsman.

"It is my home," the youth answered, " and I can show thee the shortest road to it." Phantasmion was quickly mounted, he and his guide went at full speed, whenever the road permitted, and, ere the light began to fade, he entered the abode of Ulander.

CHAPTER XXXI

PHANTASMION LEAVES THE SYLVAN PALACE AND ZELNETH RECEIVES SUCCOUR FROM FEYDELEEN.

PHANTASMION demanded to see the chief of Nemorosa, and was conducted to a spacious apartment, the couches and seats of which were covered with brindled or spotted skins, the walls with horns of deer and rock-goats fancifully arranged. There, under a high canopy adorned with branching antlers, lay the wounded Zelneth, her limbs motionless, her eyes closed in death-like languor, while the young chieftain was raising her from the couch in his arms, and trying, by a thousand assiduities, to elicit signs of life and looks of recognition. So a child, grieved to see his rarest flower, the milk-white fox-glove, with its whole spire of bells, newly blown, extended on the earth, sets himself to support the crushed stem which his own heedless foot has beaten down. But all in vain;

for, leaning on the prop, it hastens to decay, no longer able to imbibe the dews that fall around it, withered by that sun which lately nourished its firm stalk and bursting blossoms. Ulander saw not the young king of Palmland till he had entered the apartment, and stood midway between the door and the couch, gazing intently on Zelneth. But, when he did at last perceive his presence, the chieftain started, uttering an exclamation; roused by which the damsel opened her eyes, and seeing