en he stole across the garden, and lurked for a little by the door.

Two hours later, Minghal Khan, having finished the more substantial
portion of his meal, was reclining on cushions in his dining-room,
eating sweetmeats and sipping sherbets with his guest, the Mirza Akbar
Sultan. Both were in good spirits. The sweetmeats were a portion of some
score hundredweight which the Kotwal had recently bought for the
delectation of the soldiers, and which the king himself had inspected
and deigned to taste. And a day or two before Akbar Sultan himself had
summoned all the wealthy bankers of the city, at the instigation of the
queen, and by means in which he was an adept, had extorted from them
8,000 rupees, a thousand of which he had immediately appropriated--was
he not a prince?--handing five hundred, with princely generosity, to his
good friend Minghal Khan.

"Truly thou art much in my debt," said the prince; "not more for rupees
than for my support in that matter of the old rogue."

"I am thy unworthy servant, illustrious one," returned the other, "and
all I have is thine. And how can I repay thee better than by helping
thee to somewhat of the old rogue's booty?"

"Art thou sure he has this booty?"

"My head upon it, illustrious one. For what purpose has he sought refuge
in this city? Only that his booty may not fall into the hand of the
Feringhis, for assuredly he has no mind to fight them. Wah! thou camest
to the palace at a fortunate hour,--fortunate for thee and me. That old
rogue Asadullah forestalled me there, and the king had waxed hot against
me, listening to his tale. He had that moment sent for me when I
arrived. And though when I put the matter before him his anger was
somewhat appeased, the issue would not have been so pleasing hadst thou
not come to lend me the aid of thy persuasive voice. Wah! Did not the
old rogue fume when the king turned to him and bade him cause no more
trouble! Didst thou mark his flaming eye? Didst thou hear him mutter
words of rage as he turned his back on the Pillar of State and strode
from the presence? Wah! the king will favour him no more; never was his
dignity so scantly regarded."

"But this booty of which thou speakest--how is one to obtain it? I have
bled the shroffs; there will be a great wailing among them, and even I
dare not do more for a while, lest the king, who is unstable as water,
should again visit me with his displeasure."

"Listen, illustrious one; I know of a