lipped back, shaking with fear and
excitement, to where the young officer still lay asleep, thrust the
letter into the fold so his turban, and hurried back to her room. It was
done!

Late in the afternoon Nur Mahomed woke, and, making sure that the
precious despatch was still safe, went off to get ready for his audience
with the governor. As soon as he was ushered into his presence he
took the letter from his turban and placed it in the governor's hands
according to orders. When he had read it the governor was certainly a
little astonished; but he was told in the letter to 'ask no questions,'
and he knew how to obey orders. He sent for his wife and told her to get
the princess ready to be married at once.

'Nonsense!' said his wife, 'what in the world do you mean?'

'These are the king's commands,' he answered; 'go and do as I bid
you. The letter says "at once," and "ask no questions." The marriage,
therefore, must take place this evening.'

In vain did his wife urge every objection; the more she argued, the more
determined was her husband. 'I know how to obey orders,' he said,
'and these are as plain as the nose on my face!' So the princess was
summoned, and, somewhat to their surprise, she seemed to take the news
very calmly; next Nur Mahomed was informed, and he was greatly startled,
but of course he could but be delighted at the great and unexpected
honour which he thought the king had done him. Then all the castle
was turned upside down; and when the news spread in the town, THAT
was turned upside down too. Everybody ran everywhere, and tried to do
everything at once; and, in the middle of it all, the old governor went
about with his hair standing on end, muttering something about 'obeying
orders.'

And so the marriage was celebrated, and there was a great feast in the
castle, and another in the soldiers' barracks, and illuminations all
over the town and in the beautiful gardens. And all the people declared
that such a wonderful sight had never been seen, and talked about it to
the ends of their lives.

The next day the governor despatched the princess and her bridegroom to
the king, with a troop of horsemen, splendidly dressed, and he sent a
mounted messenger on before them, with a letter giving the account of
the marriage to the king.

When the king got the governor's letter, he grew so red in the face
that everyone thought he was going to have apoplexy. They were all very
anxious to know what had happen