wn and territory of Mur, every one of whom, as we
found afterwards, possessed some high-sounding title answering to
those of our dukes and lords and Right Honourables, and knights, to say
nothing of the Princes of the Blood, of whom Joshua was the first.

Really, although it looked so fine and gay, the spectacle was, in a
sense, piteous, being evidently but a poor mockery and survival of the
pageantry of a people that had once been great. The vast hall in which
they were assembled showed this, since, although the occasion was one
that excited public interest, it was after all but a quarter filled by
those who had a right to be present.

With much dignity and to the sound of music we were marched up the broad
nave, if I may describe it thus, for the building, with its apse and
supporting cedar columns, bore some resemblance to a cathedral, till
we reached the open space in front of the throne, where our guards
prostrated themselves in their Eastern fashion, and we saluted its
occupant in our own. Then, chairs having been given to us, after a pause
a trumpet blew, and from a side chamber was produced our late guide,
Shadrach, heavily manacled and looking extremely frightened.

The trial that followed I need not describe at length. It took a long
while, and the three of us were called upon to give evidence as to the
quarrel between our companion, the Professor, and the prisoner about the
dog Pharaoh and other matters. The testimony, however, that proclaimed
the guilt of Shadrach was that of his companion guides, who, it
appeared, had been threatened with floggings unless they told the truth.

These men swore, one after the other, that the abandonment of Higgs had
been a preconceived plan. Several of them added that Shadrach was in
traitorous communication with the Fung, whom he had warned of our advent
by firing the reeds, and had even contrived to arrange that we were to
be taken while he and the other Abati, with the camels laden with our
rifles and goods which they hoped to steal, passed through in safety.

In defence Shadrach boldly denied the whole story, and especially that
he had pushed the Gentile, Higgs, off his dromedary, as was alleged,
and mounted it himself because his own beast had broken down or been
injured.

However, his lies availed him little, since, after consultation with the
Child of Kings, presently one of the black-robed judges condemned him
to suffer death in a very cruel fashion which was res