friends, a roving and unsettled life, devoted to battle and chase. I live contentedly amongst these people, who honour me as their Ruler, and although if my Asiatics are not so well educated as your Europeans, yet they are far from being jealous and calumnious, or selfish and ambitious."

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Zaleukos thanked the stranger for his communication, and did not conceal from him that he considered it, for his position and education, more suitable that he should live and work in Christian European countries. He laid hold of his hand and requested him to go with him, to live and die with him. Deeply moved, his guest looked at him, Hereby I recognise," he said, "that you have completely forgiven me, and that you love me. Accept my heartiest thanks for it." He jumped up and stood full-length before the Greek, who almost felt frightened at the warlike attitude, the dark glittering eyes, and the deep mysterious voice of his guest. "Your proposal is good, he continued, "it would be very tempting to any one else; but as for me, I cannot accept it. My horse is already saddled, and my servants are waiting for me; farewell, Zaleukos!"

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The friends, whom fate had brought together so strangely, embraced each other to say good-bye. "And what must I call you? What is my guest's name who will live for ever in my memory?" asked the Greek. The stranger looked at him for a long time, pressed his hand once more, and said: "People call me the Master of the Desert. I am the Robber Õrbasan."

H

THE SHEIK OF ALEXANDRIA

AND HIS SLAVES.

THE SHEIK OF ALEXANDRIA AND HIS SLAVES.

""

THE Sheik of Alexandria, Ali Banu, was a peculiar man. When he went through the streets of the town in the morning, his head adorned with a turban twisted out of the most expensive cashmere, clad in his gala dress and costly girdle worth fifty camels, going about with slow and majestic step, his forehead covered with dark wrinkles, his eyebrows knitted, his eyes looking downwards, and thoughtfully stroking his long and black beard at every five steps-when he thus went to the mosque, in order, as his dignity required of him, to lecture to the faithful ones about the Koran, the people stopped in the streets, looked after him and said to one another: "He is after all a handsome stately man "and a rich gentleman," added another-" very rich;" has he not a castle at the port of Stambul? Has he not estates and fields and many thousands of cattle and slaves? "Yes," said a third, "and the Tartar, who was lately sent to him from Stambul from our Great Highness himself, and may the Prophet bless him; he it is who told me that our Sheik was greatly favoured by Reiss-Effendi, Kapidschi-Baschi, in fact by all, including the Sultan himself." "Yes," exclaimed a fourth, "his steps are blessed. He is a rich and noble man, but-but-you know what I mean!" "Yes, yes," murmured the others assentingly, "it is true, he too has his burdens to bear; I should not like to change with him; he is a rich and distinguished man; but, but"

Ali Banu possessed a magnificent house in the finest square in Alexandria. In front of the house was a wide terrace built of marble, shaded by palm trees. There he often sat in the evening smoking his water-pipe. At a