aimlessly in the fountain basin.

"Curiously enough, it had not occurred to the prince to resent the
assured attitude of the merchant, or to speculate upon the insinuating
suggestions of complicity which the latter had managed to lodge in the
consciousness of his august auditor.

"Nor did he feel outraged at the intrusion of the dangerous alternative
proposed by the audacious Ram Lal.

"He appeared to be seduced by the sapphire and fascinated by the
recital.

"Slowly he retraced the byways of the strange episode until he resumed,
with singular precision of memory, the words of the merchant, which
explained the presence of the gem:

"'I have observed the proprieties in making my request. It is a
time-honored custom for the suppliant to signalize his appreciation of
the importance of the favor he solicits.'

"Ah! a sudden illumination pervaded the mind of the prince.

"The sapphire was a royal subsidy.

"What favor could he grant in proportion to the value of such means of
overture?

"The question established another point of association; unconsciously he
quoted again:

"'To-day at sundown I shall expect my daughter. If she does not come to
me then, O prince, a heaping handful of the precious stones you hold so
dearly will be missing, and in their stead will be as many pebbles from
the fountain in the courtyard.'

"'Pebbles for diamonds!' he repeated, and yet the proposition did not
appeal to his cynical humor. There was menace in the suggestion, but his
intolerant spirit did not resent it.

"In a vague way he was more convinced than alarmed, and did not pause to
puzzle over the anomaly, although reassured somewhat as he reflected
upon the cunning safeguards to his treasury, whose solitary sesame was
known to himself alone.

"Prince Otondo, like other native rulers at this period, frightened at
the mercenary reforms of the British in other sections, and instructed
by the unhappy comparisons, had concentrated the whole of his fortune
and considerable of his current revenues in jewels.

"These were portable and could be concealed about his person in any
emergency demanding a hasty abdication on his part.

"To the shrewd Ram Lal the prince had entrusted the purchase of nearly
all of this costly collection, contenting himself, for the present,
with intelligent calculations as to the percentage of profit which had
accrued to the merchant in these transactions.

"'Ah, well!' and with an impatient shrug of