Judge. Tell your story. Second Merchant. My friend and I, having saved some money, invested it in jewels. These we decided to carry to Bagdad to sell in the bazaar. That no one might suspect we carried such riches, we loaded our camel with wheat and honey. Among the wheat we hid our little bag of jewels. First Merchant. We rested at midday under some palms by a well, and being very tired, fell asleep. When we awoke, our camel was gone. Thinking it had wandered into the desert, we sought it diligently. In the desert we met this dervish. He at once informed us that we had lost a camel. He also Second Merchant. Yes, and he described our camel exactly, telling of his blind eye, his lame leg, and his missing tooth! First Merchant. He even told us with what the camel was loaded. Second Merchant. And now, O Judge, have we not proved that he is the thief ? Judge. You certainly have shown that the dervish knows a great deal about your missing camel.— Dervish, either confess that you have stolen the camel and restore it and its load to the owners at once, or explain how you know so much about the matter. Derrish. O learned Judge, I can easily prove that I know no more about the lost camel than any one might know by going through the desert with his eyes open. As I walked along I saw some footprints in the sand. These I knew at once were camel's tracks. As no human footmarks were seen, I knew the animal had strayed away. Judge. But how did you know he was blind in one eye? Dervish. As the grass was cropped only on the left side of the tracks, I judged that he was blind in the right eye. Judge. But you said he was lame in one leg. Dervish. Yes, I thought he might be, because I noticed that the mark he left in the sand with one foot was fainter than the other tracks. Judge. But how could you know he had lost a tooth? Dervish. I looked carefully at the places he had grazed, and found everywhere a little tuft of grass, uncropped, in the very middle of every bite. This led me to believe he had lost a front tooth. Judge. Very good. You have proved that you are innocent. You First Merchant. Wait, wait, good Judge! There is. something more to explain! How did the dervish know what load the camel carried? Dervish. That is easily explained. The ants, busy carrying grains of wheat from one side of the tracks, and the flies gathering on the other side, told me that the load was wheat and honey. Judge. You are not guilty, dervish. You may go. — As for you merchants, if you will follow the tracks of your camel, and use your eyes as carefully as has this good dervish, I think you will soon find your camel. Two men look out through the same bars ; -- - LANGBRIDGE. THE CHARCOAL BURNER WHO BECAME A KNIGHT PART I HOW THE CHARCOAL BURNER ENTERTAINED THE KING On the feast of St. Thomas, which is four days before Yule, King Charles rode out of the city of Paris with a great company of princes and nobles. As they rode across the moor, a tempest from the east fell upon them. So fierce was the wind and so heavy the rain, that they were scattered over the country; nor could they tell, the day being well nigh as dark as night, whither they were going. Of what befell the rest of the company, there is no need to tell; this tale concerns King Charles only. As he rode in sore plight, not knowing where he might find shelter, he was aware of a churl, who was leading a mare carrying two great panniers. "Now tell me your name," said the king. 66 "They call me Ralph the 66 man. "I live in these parts, charcoal burner," said the my house is seven miles hence, and I earn my bread with no little toil, selling coals to such as need them." 66 Friend," said the king, "I mean you no ill, for I judge you to be an honest man.' 66 Judge as you will," answered Ralph, "I care not.” "I am in sore need of a friend," said the king; "for both my horse and I are ready to perish, the storm is so fierce. Tell me then where I can find shelter." "Shelter!" said Ralph, "I know of none, save in my own cottage, and that is far hence in the forest. But to that you are welcome, if you care to come with me." The king was right glad to hear these words. "That is well," said he; "God reward you for your goodness." 6: Nay," answered the churl, "keep your thanks till they have been earned. As yet you have had from me nothing, neither fire, nor meat, nor dinner, nor resting place. To-morrow, when you go, you can thank me, if you be so minded, with better reason. To praise first, and, maybe, to blame afterwards that is contrary to sense.' "So shall it be," said the king. So they went their way, talking as they went. When they were come to the house, Ralph called with a loud voice to his wife: "Are you within, dame? Come out, open the door without delay. My guest and I are shivering with the cold; such evil weather I have never seen." The good wife, when she heard her master's voice, made all haste to the door, knowing that he was a man of hasty temper. "You are welcome home," said she to Ralph; and to the stranger, "You are welcome also." "Kindle a great fire," said Ralph, "and take two capons of the best, that we may have good cheer." And he took the king by the hand, and would have him go before him into the house. But the king stood back by the door, and would have the charcoal burner pass in before him. "That is but poor courtesy," said the man, and took him by the neck and pushed him in. When they had warmed themselves awhile by the fire, which was blazing in right royal fashion, Ralph cried to his wife: "Let us have supper, Gillian, as quickly as may be, and of the best, for we have had a toilsome day, |