f the city might declare. Thereon Sakon, her
father, and Aziel blessed him, but Issachar said nothing.

As the Phoenician was walking through the market-place early on the next
day an aged black woman, whom he did not know, accosted him, saying
that she had a message for his ear from the king Ithobal who was camped
without the city and who desired to see the merchandise that he had
brought with him from the coasts of Tyre. Now Metem had already sold
all his wares at a great advantage; still, as he would not neglect this
opportunity of trade, he purchased others from his fellow merchants, and
loading two camels with them, set out for the camp of Ithobal, riding on
a mule. By midday he had reached it. The camp was pitched near water in
a pleasant grove of trees, and on one of these not far from the tent of
Ithobal Metem noted that there hung the body of a black dwarf.

"Behold the fate of him who shoots at the buck and hits the doe. Well, I
have always said that murder is a dangerous game, since blood calls out
for blood," thought Metem as he rode towards the tent.

At its door stood king Ithobal looking very huge and sullen in the
sunlight. Metem dismounted and prostrated himself obsequiously.

"May the King live for ever," he said, "the great King, the King to whom
all the other kings of the earth are as the little gods to Baal, or the
faint stars to the sun."

"Rise, and cease from flatteries," said Ithobal shortly; "I may be
greater than the other kings, but at least you do not think it."

"If the king says so, so let it be," replied Metem calmly. "A woman
yonder in the market-place told me that the king wished to trade for
my merchandise. So I have brought the best of it; priceless goods that
which much toil I have carried hither from Tyre," and he pointed to the
two camels laden with the inferior articles which he had purchased, and
began to read the number and description of the goods from his tablets.

"What value do you set upon the whole of them, merchant?" asked Ithobal.

"To the traders of the country so much, but to you, O King, so much
only," and he named a sum twice that which he had paid in the city.

"So be it," assented Ithobal indifferently; "I do not haggle over wares.
Though your price is large, presently my treasurer shall weigh you out
the gold."

There was a moment's pause, then Metem said:--

"The trees in this camp of yours bear evil fruit, O King. If I might
ask, why does that little