e talisman loses all its virtue. And now
depart, and bethink thee of all I have told thee."

Dirham kissed the hem of the pasha's garment and promised that he
would carefully perform everything. Ali accompanied him down into the
garden. On their way back to the place they had to cross the spot
where Zaid was buried. As the hollow earth resounded beneath Ali's
feet, he stopped for a moment and murmured to himself, "H'm! thou
shalt not be the only one!"

* * * * *

Two weeks later Dirham met the sons of Ali in Adrianople. Morrison's
ship had taken him on the way thither, and during the voyage Dirham
had countless opportunities of convincing himself that the money
deposited by Ali was safely guarded in the hold of the vessel. There
he said everything which Ali had confided to him, and as it seemed to
the poor servant, through the medium of his tearful eyes, as if the
beys grew enthusiastic at the tidings of the war which their aged
father was waging, he told them, in this persuasion, that Ali had sent
them five million piastres, that they might buy ships and collect arms
and unite their forces to his.

The beys rejoiced greatly at the tidings of the five millions, and
embraced Dirham, who did his best to attribute all the merit of the
deed to Tepelenti for sending the money so magnanimously.

"The old man might have sent us still more," said Sulaiman. "What does
he want with it in Janina? Sooner or later it will become the prey of
his enemies."

"Pardon me, my lord!" objected Dirham. "It will become nobody's prey
if only you unite with him."

"Ugh!" said Sulaiman; and at that moment the two brothers caught each
other's eye, and it was as though the same thought suddenly occurred
to them both.

When Dirham delivered the ring to Mukhtar, the latter asked,
suspiciously:

"Is there any poison in this ring?"

"What are you thinking of, my lord? I wore it on my finger the whole
way hither. There is a talisman in it."

At this both the brothers burst out laughing. They had often ridiculed
Ali for his absurd superstition. Nevertheless, Mukhtar kept the ring,
for there was a splendid emerald in it.

But the secret of the eggs completely won the favor of the brothers.
That was really a capital idea of Ali's. In this way the pashas could
send secret messages even in their harems. Who would ever suspect an
egg? They would put it to the proof at once. They would send a
declaration of love