TWILIGHT LAND

ancient kings of Egypt—a treasure such as the eyes of
man never saw before or since their day. Is that true?”

“Tt is true,” said the Demon.

“Then I command thee to take me to that treasure and
to show it to me,” said Aben Hassen the Wise.

“Tt shall be done,” said the Demon; and thereupon he
caught up the Wise Man and transported him across
mountain and valley, across land and sea, until he brought
him to a country known as the “ Land of the Black Isles,”
where the treasure of the ancient kings was hidden. The
Demon showed the Magician the treasure, and it was a
sight such as man had never looked upon before or since
the days that the dark, ancient ones hid it. With his
treasure Aben Hassen built himself palaces and gardens
and paradises such as the world never saw before. He
lived like an emperor, and the fame of his doings rang
through all the four corners of the earth.

Now the queen of the Black Isles was the most beautiful
woman in the world, but she was as cruel and wicked and
cunning as she was beautiful. No man that looked upon
her could help loving her; for not only was she as beauti-:
ful as a dream, but her beauty was of that sort that it
bewitched a man in spite of himself.

One day the queen sent for Aben Hassen the Wise.
“Tell me,” said she, ‘is it true that men say of you that
you have discovered a hidden treasure such as the world
never saw before?” And she looked at Aben Hassen so.
that his wisdom all crumbled away like sand, and he
became just as foolish as other men.

“Yes,” said he, “it is true.”

Aben Hassen the Wise spent all that day with the

queen, and when he left the palace he was like a man
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