s he
stood by the divan, looking up at his visitors, he seemed indeed a mere
mummy of a man, likely to fall to pieces at a breath of air.

"You are welcome," he said, in a voice surprisingly strong. "I perceive
that you have come from a great distance. Permit me to inquire what
errand has brought you to your servant's poor habitation."

"I reckon we want to buy something," said Toby. "I don't know what,
exactly, but a chap by the name of Higginson, Captain Reuben Higginson,
he give us the direction, as you might say."

"Ah, yes," said Shiraz the Persian. "I remember him very well. I was
sorry to learn of his misfortune. An excellent man; a member of some
strange sect----"

"A Quaker," said Toby. "The paper he left said we might buy something
here, and here we are, ready to buy."

"I have long since retired from the rug business," said Shiraz, "but I
have brought with me here, as you may see, some of my choicest
treasures, as a slight solace in my seclusion." He glanced towards the
rugs on the walls. "I am reluctant to part with any of them, but I am
willing to make an exception, in view of your having made so long a
journey to see me. My son," said he to the young man, "bring hither the
Omar prayer-rug."

The young man took from one of the walls a small rug, and laid it at the
feet of Shiraz.

"You will immediately perceive," said the Persian, "the extreme beauty
of this rug. It is one of my rarest treasures. It is a prayer-rug from
the mosque of Omar at Isfahan; a Kalicheh of cut-pile fabric, with the
Sehna knot, as I need not tell you; made in Kurdistan three hundred
years ago; observe, if you please, the delicacy of the design and the
harmony of the colouring. Its possession is as a spring of water to the
desert Bedouin; as a palm with dates on the road to Mecca; as a word to
the believer from the mouth of the Prophet. Its price, to those who have
journeyed across the sea to buy it, is twelve copper pennies."

The Sly Old Fox stooped down and examined it. His eyes lit up with
pleasure. "Beautiful!" said he. "I have never seen a rug more beautiful;
it is a real work of--of--I will take it. At twelve pennies. It is
mine."

"No, no!" said Aunt Amanda. "You'll do nothing of the kind. It is
certainly the finest piece of carpet I have ever seen, and the price is
low enough, in all conscience. But we are not going to buy it. I am
sorry, sir, but we can't buy your rug. Show us something else."

Shiraz displayed