ith every circumstance of respect, and
the Emir accepted it; and then, by the veriest accident, the eyes of
Yuhanna happened to light upon the ousted youth.

"Ah," he exclaimed, "you like this little one, our dear Iskender! A
good boy, sir, only don't know much yet. Baints fery nicely, for a
young 'un. He show you, sir, the way this afternoon."

A tear fell splash upon Iskender's drawing-book.

CHAPTER V

The house of Karlsberger stood in a hollow of the southern sandhills,
only discoverable on a close approach, so that the sight of its red
roof, something like an extinguisher, came always as a surprise.

Its owner was of the number of those Jewish immigrants who, lured by
the offer of perpetual charity, had of late years come in their
thousands to occupy lands provided by their rich co-religionists. But
the life of a husbandman soon palled on Karlsberger, accustomed to
trade upon the vices of a European city; and his wife, a former harlot,
shared his disgust. As soon as he could gather money enough he had
left agriculture to the dullards, and built this house near the town as
a rendezvous for all who loved the flavour of depravity. For the
dragomans and their kind the house of Karlsberger stood for the fashion
and gay life of Europe.

Thither Iskender conducted his lord in the manner of a reluctant
follower rather than a guide. He had said all he could to dissuade the
Frank from going, had exaggerated the ill repute of the place, and
called the dragomans low, drunken blackguards; but all in vain. The
Emir was bent on going; and his slave went with him miserably, feeling
sure that the kindness he had himself inspired would not survive the
introduction to a set of dashing fellows, whose profession it was to
win the hearts of foreigners. The air was sultry, the expanse of sand
glared hatefully beneath a sky veiled all over with thin cloud. All
nature, in accordance with his mood, seemed glum and spiteful.

In sight of the house he pointed to it without a word. It looked in
truth a pretty place for a great prince to visit. With a gloomy
satisfaction Iskender noticed filth about the threshold, and shabby
garments spread to dry upon the window-sill.

Sounds of talk and laughter came from the open door. They ceased
directly the Emir was seen by those within; and some dozen men,
assembled in a narrow room, rose as one and saluted. The room had been
roughly cleaned for the occasion, the dust and fil