ave to join him, so that they might
both beguile the journey with pleasant talk. The newcomer was a bright,
cheerful, good-looking young man, who soon plunged into conversation and
asked many questions. He told Labakan that his own name was Omar, that
he was a nephew of Elfi Bey, and was travelling in order to carry out a
command given him by his uncle on his death bed. Labakan was not quite
so open in his confidences, but hinted that he too was of noble birth
and was travelling for pleasure.

The two young men took a fancy to each other and rode on together. On
the second day of their journey Labakan questioned Omar as to the orders
he had to carry out, and to his surprise heard this tale.

Elfi Bey, Pacha of Cairo, had brought up Omar from his earliest
childhood, and the boy had never known his parents. On his deathbed Elfi
Bey called Omar to him, and then told him that he was not his nephew,
but the son of a great king, who, having been warned of coming dangers
by his astrologers, had sent the young prince away and made a vow not to
see him till his twenty-second birthday.

Elfi Bey did not tell Omar his father's name, but expressly desired him
to be at a great pillar four days' journey east of Alexandria on the
fourth day of the coming month, on which day he would be twenty-two
years old. Here he would meet some men, to whom he was to hand a dagger
which Elfi Bey gave him, and to say 'Here am I for whom you seek.'

If they answered: 'Praised be the Prophet who has preserved you,' he was
to follow them, and they would take him to his father.

Labakan was greatly surprised and interested by this story, but after
hearing it he could not help looking on Prince Omar with envious eyes,
angry that his friend should have the position he himself longed so much
for. He began to make comparisons between the prince and himself, and
was obliged to confess that he was a fine-looking young man with very
good manners and a pleasant expression.

At the same time, he felt sure that had he been in the prince's place
any royal father might have been glad to own him.

These thoughts haunted him all day, and he dreamt them all night. He
woke very early, and as he saw Omar sleeping quietly, with a happy smile
on his face, a wish arose in his mind to take by force or by cunning the
things which an unkind fate had denied him.

The dagger which was to act as a passport was sticking in Omar's girdle.
Labakan drew it gently out, and he