f my best African geese. They are, however, still fit for
food. I am going to beg your acceptance of one."

"We will have it for dinner to-morrow," said Nora, "and you must come
over."

"I shall be pleased to do so," said Klingenspiel, and that was the
beginning of a series of visits to the home of Timothy Sullivan that
resulted in the marriage of Miss Nora and Wilhelm Klingenspiel. The
latter still raises African geese there in the vicinity of Stony
Island, but he has made no more experiments with guinea pigs, for his
wife will not hear to it.

_What Befell Mr. Middleton Because of the Fourth Gift of the Emir._

"What an unpleasant surprise it must have been to Klingenspiel,"
remarked the emir, when he had completed his narration, "to find all
his fine experimenting in the science of heredity merely resulting in
nearly accomplishing his own death."

"His experience is not unique," said Mr. Middleton. "There is many an
economic, social, political, or industrial change which is inaugurated
with the highest hopes only to slay its author in the end."

"We should indeed be careful what waves we set in motion, what forces
we liberate," said the emir thoughtfully. "And I have been, too. I
have in my possession a constant reminder to be cautious in all my
enterprises and undertakings--a monitor forever bidding me think of
the consequences of an action, weigh its possible results. It has been
in my family for generations. I believe that our house has learned the
lesson. I would be glad to give it to some one who, perchance, has
not. If it so happens that you are in no need of such a warning, you
can perhaps present it to some one else who is." And having said a few
words to Mesrour in the language of Arabia, the blackamore brought to
him a small case and, from the midst of wrappings of dark green silk,
he produced a flask of burnished copper that shone with the utmost
brilliance. Handing this to Mr. Middleton and that gentleman viewing
it in silence for some time and exhibiting no other emotion than a
mild curiosity, largely due to its great weight, a ponderosity
altogether out of proportion to its size, the emir exclaimed in a loud
voice:

"Do you know what you are holding?" and without waiting for an answer
from his startled guest, continued: "Observe the inscription upon the
side and the stamp of a signet set upon the seal that closes the
mouth."

"I perceive a number of Arabic characters," said Mr. Middlet