as impossible now. Many of them that had suffered were
dead; some that had been cast into prison had got their last and long
discharge. At least Israel would have relaxed the rigour whereby his
master ruled, but that was impossible also. Katrina had come, and she
was a vain woman and a lover of all luxury, and she commanded Israel to
tax the people afresh. He obeyed her through three bad years; but many
a time his heart reproached him that he dealt corruptly by the poor
people, and when he saw them borrowing money for the Governor's tributes
on their lands and houses, and when he stood by while they and their
sons were cast into prison for the bonds which they could not pay to the
usurers Abraham or Judah or Reuben, then his soul cried out against him
that he ate the bread of such a mistress.

But out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth
sweetness, and out of this coming of the Spanish wife of Ben Aboo came
deliverance for Israel from the torment of his false position.

There was an aged and pious Moor in Tetuan, called Abd Allah, who was
rumoured to have made savings from his business as a gunsmith. Going to
mosque one evening, with fifteen dollars in his waistband, he unstrapped
his belt and laid it on the edge of the fountain while he washed his
feet before entering, for his back was no longer supple. Then a younger
Moor, coming to pray at the same time, saw the dollars, and snatched
them up and ran. Abd Allah could not follow the thief, so he went to the
Kasbah and told his story to the Governor.

Just at that time Ben Aboo had the Kaid of Fez on a visit to him. "Ask
him how much more he has got," whispered the brother Kaid to Ben Aboo.

Abd Allah answered that he did not know.

"I'll give you two hundred dollars for the chance of all he has," the
Kaid whispered again.

"Five bees are better than a pannier of flies--done!" said Ben Aboo.

So Abd Allah was sold like a sheep and carried to Fez, and there cast
into prison on a penalty of two hundred and fifty dollars imposed upon
him on the pretence of a false accusation.

Israel sat by the Governor that day at the gate of the hall of justice,
and many poor people of the town stood huddled together in the court
outside while the evil work was done. No one heard the Kaid of Fez when
he whispered to Ben Aboo, but every one saw when Israel drew the warrant
that consigned the gunsmith to prison, and when he sealed it with the
Governor's se