414 THE IKON NAIL. 



witness of the scene, " he is my friend, and must be rewarded. You 

 have sold your possessions in Dheli, and are going to receive the 

 treasure ; let my friend receive it for you you understand write 

 to your agent to that effect : my friend is a worthy man." The old 

 man looked at the Syrian with an expression of ill-disguised contempt; 

 but did as he was ordered, and threw the writing before him. 



" May God reward you as you merit!" he ejaculated earnestly. 

 " Is there aught else you require of me ? " 



" Nothing more it is time we separated Ali- Ahmed ;" and here 

 the voice of the Syrian became low and half articulated as though 

 some terrible feeling was rending him. t( Ali-Ahmed, did you not 

 say you were prepared to die ? " The old man looked at him en- 

 quiringly as though he did but half understand the import of the 

 words ; " for/' continued he, " for neither to Bagdad nor to 

 Damascus wilt thou ever return !" in saying these words he drew 

 his gleaming sabre from its sheath. The old man covered his head 

 with his hands in sign of supplication. 



" You have taken all have you the heart to shed my blood ?" 

 " Would you have a drop of water from the spring ?" said the Syrian, 

 alluding to the rites of the Mussulman before death. The aged victim 

 sunk upon his knees by his ruthless destroyer. 



" May the Prophet receive my soul !" he murmured faintly ; " fare- 

 well, my child farewell, my " but ere the sentence was breathed 



the sabre whistled through the air, and the head of the noble old man 

 rolled in the sand ! The Syrian gazed for a few seconds on the bleed- 

 ing corse, then, with the assistance of the Arab, fastening to it a large 

 stone cast it into one of the wells. The Arab took the bleeding head, 

 and with his sabre buried it deeply in the sand, beneath the shade of 

 the date trees. 



" Now, brave Zahab !" said the Syrian, with a forced expression 

 of gaiety, " I have redeemed my pledge go you to Dheli claim the 

 treasure of the old man, and use it well ; you will be a chief in your 

 tribe may it bring you the happiness you covet. I part for Da- 

 mascus, to claim my bride. Now fare you well, thy road is to the 

 east, mine to the west ; and may the Prophet grant that we may never 

 meet again !" 



And the murderers parted. 



Several years had elapsed since the commission of this crime, when 

 on the very spot we have described crowds of workmen were seen 

 erecting a magnificent palace. In this wild spot it arose as though by 

 the wand of an enchanter. Troops of camels, laden with rare marbles 

 and precious things, were continually arriving. Beautiful gardens 

 sprung up where formerly all was waste the oleander, the orange, 

 the wild jasmin, the citron, bloomed where the jungle had been undis- 

 turbed for ages ; and in the place of the rude wells were now im- 

 mense basins of alabaster, into which sparkling jets of water fell with 

 a tinkling sound. The floors of the palace were of perfumed cedar, 

 and the divans were covered with the golden stuffs of the Indies; 

 carpets from Trebisond and Constantinople yielded to the footstep, 

 and the walls were clothed with silken tapestry, on which were por- 

 trayed flowers in the vivid colours of nature, and arabesque figures of 



