e," said Haroun, "that you reported the theft, Kalum-Bek, as was
your duty?"

"Why, certainly!" exclaimed that worthy, smiling. "I took him before
the police justice."

"Let the police justice be brought!" ordered the caliph.

To every body's astonishment, this official appeared as suddenly as if
brought by magic. The caliph asked whether he remembered that Kalum-Bek
had come before him with a young man, and the official replied that he
did.

"Did you listen to the young man; did he confess to the theft?" asked
Haroun.

"No, he was actually so obstinate that he would not confess to any one
but yourself," replied the justice.

"But I don't remember to have seen him," said the caliph.

"But why should you? If I were to listen to them, I should have a whole
pack of such vagabonds to send you every day."

"You know that my ear is open for every one," replied Haroun; "but
perhaps the proofs of the theft were so clear that it was not necessary
to bring the young man into my presence. You had witnesses, I suppose,
Kalum, that the money found on this young man belonged to you?"

"Witnesses?" repeated Kalum, turning pale; "no, I did not have any
witnesses, for you know, Ruler of the Faithful, that one gold piece
looks just like another. Where, then, should I get witnesses to testify
that these one hundred gold pieces are the same that were missing from
my cash-box."

"How, then, can you tell that that particular money belonged to you?"
asked the caliph.

"By the purse," replied Kalum.

"Have you the purse here?" continued the caliph.

"Here it is," said the merchant, drawing out a purse which he handed to
the vizier to give to the caliph.

But the vizier cried with feigned surprise: "By the beard of the
Prophet! Do you claim the purse, you dog? Why it is my own purse, and I
gave it filled with a hundred gold pieces, to a brave young man who
rescued me from a great danger."

"Can you swear to that?" asked the caliph.

"As surely as that I shall some time be in paradise," answered the
vizier, "for my daughter made the purse with her own hands."

"Why, look you then, police Justice!" cried Haroun, "you were falsely
advised. Why did you believe that the purse belonged to this merchant?"

"He swore to it," replied the justice, humbly.

"Then you swore falsely?" thundered the caliph, as the merchant, pale
and trembling, stood before him.

"Allah, Allah!" cried Kalum. "I certainly don't want to dispute the
gr