answer. Michael stood in silence until the thing was
extracted. It was a little pellet of tissue-paper.

The saint put his finger to his lips, to caution Michael to be silent.
With trembling fingers he unwrapped the tiny packet. It was so small
that probably it contained an atom of hair reputed to have been cut
from the Prophet's beard.

When the object was unrolled, the saint said, "_Hena_," and tried to
reach Michael's hand. Michael placed his right hand in the two
emaciated ones of the fanatic. Something hard was pressed into his
palm, and his fingers were jealously folded over a tiny object. When
it was safely in his keeping, the saint fell back on his pillow,
muttering a _sura_ from the Koran.

"'Give your kindred what they require in time of need and also to the
poor and the traveller, but waste not your substance wastefully.'"

Michael opened his hand and looked at what the zealot had placed in it.
He was thrilled with curiosity to see what the precious relic could be.
He recognized the greatness of the honour which had been bestowed upon
him.

When he saw what it was, he was too astonished to speak. Wonder robbed
him of words. A crimson amethyst, uncut and of ancient smoothness, lay
like a large drop of blood in his hand. With half-believing eyes he
gazed at it. Still in silence and with doubting senses, he turned it
over with the fingers of his left hand. Had the holy man performed a
miracle? How could he have become possessed of an ancient gem of such
rare beauty and size? Michael had often seen conjurers raise up
palm-trees and flowers on the deck of a steamer, out of a pot full of
sand; a wave of their magic wand had transformed the deck of the
steamer into a flowery garden. But this poor sick wanderer was no
trickster.

Michael held up the amethyst to a lamp. It seemed to him a stone of
great value. As it was uncut, he could only judge by its colour.
There might be some flaw which he could not see. He tried to put it
back into the sick man's hands.

"Keep it, my son, it is safer with you. I could not use it for the
benefit of mankind, for the wayfarer and the needy, and for myself I
have no wants which Allah in His mercy does not supply. His children
suffer no greater privations than they can bear."

Michael still pressed the jewel back into his hand. He could not and
would not accept it. At his refusal the fanatic became excited and
distressed.

"It is easy for me, my so