wards a convert from
Protestantism; when a message was brought to the functionary, whose
manner changed at once. A telegram just received from the consul
himself declared the young man guiltless of the crimes imputed to him.
So pursuit was at an end.

Iskender thanked the priest, and praised his name. In the warmth of
kindly treatment after many hardships, he cast aside reserve and
caution as mere winter garments, and, the girl Nesibeh being still
before his eyes, kissed Mitri's hand and owned his passion for her.
Already he loved Mitra as a father. He prayed to Allah he might some
day be in truth his son. That was his dearest wish, the one hope left
to him. The priest regarded him with pure amazement for a space, then
burst out laughing.

"Thou son of a dog!" he cried. "What words are these? Is this the
season for such talk? The girl is young to marry. And thou art
overbold, a youth with nothing! If thy mind is still the same, say
three years hence, then let thy mother approach her mother, who, I
think, would scorn such wealth as thou couldst offer. Now to talk
sense. Thou canst no longer lodge at the hotel, though Selim and Musa
have maintained thy innocence, and, for themselves, would still have
welcomed thee. But Musa, their father, has forbidden it. He says, and
justly, that thy dwelling there would bring discredit on the house just
now, when every traveller has the tale of thy misdeeds and hates thy
name. Come, and I will show thee thy lodging in the house of an old
couple on whom Allah has bestowed male offspring only. It is but a
step from here."

Again Iskender thanked the priest and kissed his hand. For the first
time in his life he felt at home in his own land. The whole of the
Orthodox community were henceforth his brethren.

On the next day Elias came to visit him, without malice for the past or
the slightest recollection of ever in his life having slandered his
good friend, now his brother in the faith. All his thoughts were of
Wady 'l Muluk. Had Iskender been there? No? Well, how was that?
Iskender confessed that he had lost the description of its whereabouts,
and his memory had played him false. They had been very near to the
place, of that he felt sure; but the Emir lost patience and refused to
search any further. So, for lack of a little perseverance, all was
lost, and the whole expensive journey made for nothing.

Elias listened with devout belief.

"A pity!" he explain