save the bells of the
caravan, and I was deep in thought in what manner I might dispose of my
ninety-five tomauns, on our arrival at Bagdad; when, turning up my eyes,
I perceived the conductor and a well-equipped Persian riding towards me.

The conductor pointed with his hand to me, and said to his companions,
'_hem een est_, this is even he!'

'By the beard of Ali!' thought I, 'my good fortune has turned its back
upon me.'

I looked at the conductor's companion, whom I instantly discovered to be
the very Abdul Kerim, from whom I had extracted the one hundred tomauns,
at the village of Seidabad, by means of the letter which I had written
in the name of the deceased chief priest.

I was about giving myself up for lost, when the conductor relieved me a
little, by saying, 'You are the last man who joined our caravan: perhaps
you can tell us upon what part of the frontier Kelb Ali Khan, the
robber, is said to be at present.'

I answered him in a great state of perturbation; but kept my eyes fixed
upon Abdul all the while, who also began to stare at me with those
penetrating eyes of his, which almost turned my heart inside out. He
continued looking at me like one in doubt, whilst I endeavoured to skulk
away; but at length appearing to recollect himself, he exclaimed, 'I
have it, I have it! it is the very man; he it was who laughed at my
beard and stole the hundred tomauns.' Then addressing himself to the
bystanders, he said, 'If you want a thief, there is one. Seize him in
the name of the Prophet!'

I began to expostulate, and to deny the accusation, and probably should
have succeeded to convince those who surrounded us that I was wrongly
accused, when, to my consternation, the promoter of matrimony came up,
at once recognized me, and called me by my name. Then my whole history
came to light. I was denounced as the murderer of the chief priest, and
this event produced so general a bustle throughout the caravan, that
fear of the robbers was for a while suspended, and every one came to
gaze upon me.

I was seized, my hands were pinioned behind my back, I was about being
dragged before the chief priest's widow to be exhibited, when my good
planet came to my help and showed its ascendant. Of a sudden a great cry
was heard at a distance, and to my delight I beheld a body of cavaliers
rushing down the slope of an adjacent hill. These were the very Curds
so much dreaded. The consternation was universal, the whole caravan w