It was sometime after this that the game suddenly stopped at the approach of a girl as pretty as Iddo, and with much more to say for herself, and Iddo's admirers, with a hasty apology, left her one by one and centred round the new corner.
Iddo turned red with disappointment, and sat down on the grass to watch.
"It is very unfair," whispered a voice by her side, "you are far prettier than this new girl."
Iddo, startled, looked around her, and saw a man leaning against a tree, watching the group around the new corner with fire smouldering in his eyes. He was an ugly man, and at first she so disliked the look of him that she paid no attention to his words, nevertheless her disappointment at being deserted changed at his remark to vexation.
"Every one admired and spoilt you till that girl came," the man continued, "they are very fickle."
Iddo felt this stranger was so much in sympathy with her that she looked at him again, and her face caught something of the gloomy expression that his wore.
"What shall I do?" she asked, "it is horrid sitting here all by myself, when that girl is being so courted. Please give me your advice."
"Wait and see," said the man, whose name was Jealousy, and as he spoke the crowd came dancing and laughing in her direction. One or two seeing her sitting alone made their way towards her.
"Pretend not to notice them," whispered Jealousy at her shoulder.
So Iddo turned away her face as they approached. They did not, however, at first notice her behaviour.