nken
and white."

"Yes, I am very weak," I said faintly, and with a bitter feeling of
misery at my helplessness.

"Of course. Such wounds as yours would have killed many strong men. It
was a terribly keen cut. The wonder is that it did not take off your
arm. As it is, you nearly bled to death."

"Don't talk about it," I said, with a slight shudder; "it is healing
now, and after lying so long thinking, I want to forget my wounds."

"Of course. Let us talk about something else. Tell me," he said
gently, "do your servants attend you well?"

"Yes; they do everything I could wish for."

"Is there anything you want? I have been a long time without coming."

"Yes," I said; but hesitated to make the request that rose to my lips,
and deferred it for the moment; "where have you been?"

His eyes brightened, and he gave me a curious look. Then, gravely--

"Fighting."

I winced, for his manner suggested that he had been successful, and I
knew what that meant.

"Don't look like that," he said kindly. "You are a soldier, and know
that only one side can win. You and yours have carried all before you
for many years; it is our turn now."

"But only for a little while," I said quietly. "You must be beaten in
the end."

"Indeed!" he said, frowning, but turning it off with a laugh. "Oh no;
we carry everything before us now, and we shall be free once more."

My brows knit, and I tried to say something, but only words which I felt
would anger him seemed to come to my lips, and after watching me, he
smiled.

"You do not agree with me, of course?" he said. "How could you? But
you did not tell me if there was anything you wanted," he continued
pleasantly.

I looked in his eyes, then my own wandered over him and his dress; and
as he sat there by my pillow, looking every inch an Eastern king, the
scene once more suggested some passage out of the "Arabian Nights," and
there was an unreality about it that closed my lips.

Just then my eyes rested upon the beautiful tulwar that he had drawn
across his knees when he sat down. It was a magnificent weapon, such as
a cunning Indian or Persian cutler and jeweller would devote months of
his life in making; for the hilt was of richly chased silver inlaid with
gold, while costly jewels were set wherever a place could be found, and
the golden sheath was completely encrusted with pearls. It must have
been worth a little fortune; and, while my eyes rested upon the gorgeous