ussulman, where you will have everything you desire at a small charge.'

Neangir consented, and the two walked together through several streets
till they reached the house recommended by the Jewish merchant. By his
advice the young man paid in advance the last gold piece that remained
to him for his food and lodging.

As soon as Neangir had dined he shut himself up in his room, and
thrusting his hand into the folds of his turban, drew out his beloved
portrait. As he did so, he touched a sealed letter which had apparently
been hidden there without his knowledge, and seeing it was written
by his foster-mother, Zinebi, he tore it eagerly open. Judge of his
surprise when he read these words:

'My dearest Child,--This letter, which you will some day find in your
turban, is to inform you that you are not really our son. We believe
your father to have been a great lord in some distant land, and inside
this packet is a letter from him, threatening to be avenged on us if you
are not restored to him at once. We shall always love you, but do not
seek us or even write to us. It will be useless.'

In the same wrapper was a roll of paper with a few words as follows,
traced in a hand unknown to Neangir:

'Traitors, you are no doubt in league with those magicians who have
stolen the two daughters of the unfortunate Siroco, and have taken from
them the talisman given them by their father. You have kept my son from
me, but I have found out your hiding-place and swear by the Holy Prophet
to punish your crime. The stroke of my scimitar is swifter than the
lightning.'

The unhappy Neangir on reading these two letters--of which he understood
absolutely nothing--felt sadder and more lonely than ever. It soon
dawned on him that he must be the son of the man who had written to
Mohammed and his wife, but he did not know where to look for him, and
indeed thought much more about the people who had brought him up and
whom he was never to see again.

To shake off these gloomy feelings, so as to be able to make some plans
for the future, Neangir left the house and walked briskly about the
city till darkness had fallen. He then retraced his steps and was just
crossing the threshold when he saw something at his feet sparkling in
the moonlight. He picked it up, and discovered it to be a gold watch
shining with precious stones. He gazed up and down the street to see
if there was anyone about to whom it might belong, but there was not
a creature v