t is easy--easy," declared Shin Shira hopefully. "Now attend carefully
to what I say. I am of course not allowed outside the prison walls, and
there is no one here whom I would dare to trust with an important
commission.

"Now I want you to go at once to the Bazaar, and find a man named
Mustapha, a dealer in old curiosities; and, without letting him know
whom it is for, purchase from him a large round crystal which you will
find in his shop. He will probably want a lot of money for it, but
whatever he asks offer him just half, and you will find that after a lot
of argument he will let you have it at that. These Oriental shopkeepers
are all like that. And then, having secured the crystal, hurry back here
and the rest will be easy."

Although I could not in the least see what Shin Shira wanted the crystal
for, I was careful to execute his commission to the letter.

I found no difficulty in reaching the Bazaar, and, once there, soon
found out Mustapha. I did not like the look of the man at all.

He was a fawning, obsequious little man, with shifting eyes which never
looked you straight in the face.

He stood bowing and smiling and rubbing his hands when I entered the
shop and asked to see the crystal.

"Ah yea--very fine crystal--for those who know how to use it. Very
vallyble--lot money. You know this? You got?" and he gave me a searching
glance with his little bead-like eyes.

"Oh yes, I can pay for it if I want it," I said, "but what do you call a
_lot_ of money? How much do you want for it?"

[Illustration]

He named a price which I knew to be very excessive, and I shook my head
decidedly.

"No! too much!" I declared.

"Oh! but see! Beautiful crystal!" he argued.

"No," I replied, "too much! I'll give you half," and I began to walk
unconcernedly out of the shop.

"And you give me little present besides?" pleaded Mustapha.

"Not a penny," said I.

The man gave a little sigh.

"Oh well, you take him," he said. "Not enough money, but Mustapha very
poor, must sell him. I wrap him up for you, see!"

I paid him the money and hurried out of the shop, for I must confess
that I had taken a great dislike to the little man with his smooth, oily
manner.

However, I had got the crystal, and that was the main thing.

I hastened back to the prison, and after a long argument with the
authorities, I managed to gain permission to see the prisoner once more.

I found Shin Shira all eagerness to know if I had sec