That pretty creature had been basking in the sunshine of Agias's presence ever since coming on shipboard.

It was tacitly understood that Cornelia would care for the welfare and education of Pratinas's runaway, until she reached a maturity at which Agias could assert his claims.

The young Hellene himself had been not a little anxious lest his cousin cast obstacles in the way of an alliance with a masterless slavegirl; for of late Demetrius had been boasting to his kinsman that their family, before business misfortunes, had been wealthy and honourable among the merchant princes of Alexandria.

But the worthy pirate had not an objection to make; on the contrary, he would sit for hours staring at Artemisia, and when Agias demanded if he was about to turn rival, shook his head and replied, rather brusquely:-- "I was only thinking that Daphne might be about her age, and look perhaps like her." "Then you do not think your little daughter is dead ?" asked Agias, sympathetic, yet personally relieved.
"I know nothing, nothing," replied his cousin, a look of ineffable pain passing over his fine features; "she was a mere infant when I was arrested.

When I broke loose, I had to flee for my life.