“Pearls,” broke in Tua quickly.
“And a large basket of pearls. Might I see them? Oh! do not be afraid, I shall not rob those whose food I have eaten, it is against the custom of the desert.”
“Certainly,” answered Tua. “I never thought that you would rob us, for if you were of the tribe of thieves, surely you would be richer, and less hungry than you seem. I only thought that you were almost blind, Father Kepher, and therefore could not know the difference between a pearl and a pebble.”
“My feeling still remains to me, Daughter Neferte,” he answered with a little smile.
Then Tua gave him the basket. He opened it and drew out the strings of pearls, feeling them, smelling and peering at them, touching them with his tongue, especially the large single ones which were wrapped up by themselves. At length, having handled them all, he restored them to the basket, saying drily:
“It is strange, indeed, Nurse Asti, that those Syrian man-stealers attempted no pursuit of you, for here, whether they were theirs or not, are enough gems to buy a kingdom.”
“We cannot eat pearls,” answered Asti.
“No, but pearls will buy more than you need to eat.”
“Not in a desert,” said Asti.
“True, but as it chances there is a city in this desert, and not so very far away.”