of an
unusually sharp man, on his old negro as being the culprit.

Next morning he resolved to have the old man before the cadi, after
forenoon attendance at the palace. While there, he casually mentioned
to Omar the circumstance of the theft of his ring, and asked leave to
absent himself in the afternoon to have the case tried.

"Go," said Omar gravely, "but see that thou forget not to temper justice
with mercy.--By the way, tell me, friend Hadji, before thou goest, what
was the meaning of that strange request of thine the other day, and on
which thou hast acted so much of late?"

The story-teller turned somewhat pale, and looked anxious.

The strange request referred to was to the effect that the Dey should
give him no more gifts or wages, (in regard to both of which he was not
liberal), but that instead thereof he, Hadji Baba, should be allowed to
whisper confidentially in the Dey's ear on all public occasions without
umbrage being taken, and that the Dey should give him a nod and smile in
reply. Omar, who was a penurious man, had willingly agreed to this
proposal, and, as he now remarked, Baba had made frequent use of the
license.

"Pardon me, your highness," said Baba; "may I speak the truth without
fear of consequences?"

"Truly thou mayest," replied the Dey; "and it will be well that thou
speakest nothing _but_ the truth, else thou shalt have good reason to
remember the consequences."

"Well, then, your highness," returned Baba boldly, "feeling that my
income was not quite so good as my position at Court required, and
desiring earnestly to increase it without further taxing the resources
of your highness's treasury, I ventured to make the request which I did,
and the result has been--has been--most satisfactory."

"Blockhead!" exclaimed the irritable Dey, "that does not explain the
nature of the satisfaction."

"Your slave was going to add," said Hadji Baba hastily, "that my
frequent whispering in your ear, and your highness's gracious nods and
smiles in reply, have resulted in my being considered one of the most
influential favourites in the palace, so that my good word is esteemed
of the utmost value, and paid for accordingly."

Omar laughed heartily at this, and Hadji Baba, much relieved, retired to
have his case tried before the cadi, taking his daughter with him, for
she had assured him that she had seen the old servant take it.

The old servant pleaded not guilty with earnest solemnity.

"A