ul went crying away and had to do no
more with nights and days.

'It was last night that the King dreamed his third dream, and this
morning we fled away from Babbulkund. A great heat lies over it, and
the orchids of the jungle droop their heads. All night long the
women in the hareem of the North have wailed horribly for their
hills. A fear hath fallen upon the city, and a boding. Twice hath
Nehemoth gone to worship Annolith, and all the people have
prostrated themselves before Voth. Thrice the horologers have looked
into the great crystal globe wherein are foretold all happenings to
be, and thrice the globe was blank. Yea, though they went a fourth
time yet was no vision revealed; and the people's voice is hushed in
Babbulkund.'

Soon the travellers arose and pushed on northwards again, leaving us
wondering. Through the heat of the day we rested as well as we
might, but the air was motionless and sultry and the camels ill at
ease. The Arabs said that it boded a desert storm, and that a great
wind would arise full of sand. So we arose in the afternoon, and
travelled swiftly, hoping to come to shelter before the storm. And
the air burned in the stillness between the baked desert and the
glaring sky.

Suddenly a wind arose out of the South, blowing from Babbulkund, and
the sand lifted and went by in great shapes, all whispering. And the
wind blew violently, and wailed as it blew, and hundreds of sandy
shapes went towering by, and there were little cries among them and
the sounds of a passing away. Soon the wind sank quite suddenly, and
its cries died, and the panic ceased among the driven sands. And
when the storm departed the air was cool, and the terrible
sultriness and the boding were passed away, and the camels had ease
among them. And the Arabs said that the storm which was to be had
been, as was willed of old by God.

The sun set and the gloaming came, and we neared the junction of
Oonrana and Plegathanees, but in the darkness discerned not
Babbulkund. We pushed on hurriedly to reach the city ere nightfall,
and came to the junction of the River of Myth where he meets with
the Waters of Fable, and still saw not Babbulkund. All round us lay
the sand and rocks of the unchanging desert, save to the southwards
where the jungle stood with its orchids facing skywards. Then we
perceived that we had arrived too late, and that her doom had come
to Babbulkund; and by the river in the empty desert on the