.

[Illustration: The BASSA laughs at the CIRCASSIANS]

'You will not repent of your bargain,' went on the woman. 'Perhaps if we
come back to-morrow you will be glad to give us the four hundred sequins
we shall then ask. And the next day the price will be five hundred.'

'Come away,' said her companion, taking hold of her sleeve. 'Do not let
us stay here any longer. It may cry, and then our secret will be
discovered.' And so saying, the two young women disappeared.

The Jews were left in the front hall under the care of the slaves, and
Neangir and Sumi followed the Bassa inside the house, which was
magnificently furnished. At one end of a large, brilliantly-lighted room
a lady of about thirty-five years old reclined on a couch, still
beautiful in spite of the sad expression of her face.

'Incomparable Zambac,' said the Bassa, going up to her, 'give me your
thanks, for here is the lost son for whom you have shed so many tears,'
but before his mother could clasp him in her arms Neangir had flung
himself at her feet.

'Let the whole house rejoice with me,' continued the Bassa, 'and let my
two sons Ibrahim and Hassan be told, that they may embrace their
brother.'

'Alas! my lord!' said Zambac, 'do you forget that this is the hour when
Hassan weeps on his hand, and Ibrahim gathers up his coral beads?'

'Let the command of the prophet be obeyed,' replied the Bassa; 'then we
will wait till the evening.'

'Forgive me, noble lord,' interrupted Sumi, 'but what is this mystery?
With the help of the Book of Spells perhaps I may be of some use in the
matter.'

'Sumi,' answered the Bassa, 'I owe you already the happiness of my life;
come with me then, and the sight of my unhappy sons will tell you of our
trouble better than any words of mine.'

The Bassa rose from his divan and drew aside the hangings leading to a
large hall, closely followed by Neangir and Sumi. There they saw two
young men, one about seventeen, and the other nineteen years of age. The
younger was seated before a table, his forehead resting on his right
hand, which he was watering with his tears. He raised his head for a
moment when his father entered, and Neangir and Sumi both saw that this
hand was of ebony.

The other young man was occupied busily in collecting coral beads which
were scattered all over the floor of the room, and as he picked them up
he placed them on the same table where his brother was sitting. He had
already gathered together nin