The ancient priest bade the Temple servants retire, and as they went
they heard him murmuring a prayer.

"The Dead spoke truth," he muttered, still gazing from the helmet in his
hand to the Wanderer; "ay, the Dead speak seldom, but they never lie."

"My son, thou hast eaten and drunk," then said Rei the Priest and Master
Builder, "and may an old man ask whence thou camest, where is thy native
city, and who are thy parents?"

"I come from Alybas," answered the Wanderer, for his own name was too
widely known, and he loved an artful tale. "I come from Alybas; I am the
son of Apheidas, son of Polypemon, and my own name is Eperitus."

"And wherefore comest thou here alone in a ship of dead men, and with
more treasure than a king's ransom?"

"It was men of Sidon who laboured and died for all that cargo," said the
Wanderer; "they voyaged far for it, and toiled hard, but they lost it
in an hour. For they were not content with what they had, but made me a
prisoner as I lay asleep on the coast of Crete. But the Gods gave me the
upper hand of them, and I bring their captain, and much white metal and
many swords and cups and beautiful woven stuffs, as a gift to your King.
And for thy courtesy, come with me, and choose a gift for thyself."

Then he led the old man to the treasure-chambers of the Temple, which
was rich in the offerings of many travellers, gold and turquoise and
frankincense from Sinai and Punt, great horns of carved ivory from the
unknown East and South; bowls and baths of silver from the Khita, who