TWILIGHT LAND

open them and to throw the gold to the people. So, with
those in the streets scrambling and fighting for the money
and shouting and cheering, and others gazing down at the
spectacle from the windows and the house-tops, the
fagot-maker and his troop rode slowly along through the
town.

Now it chanced that their way led along past the royal
palace, and the princess, hearing all the shouting and the
hubbub, looked over the edge of the balcony and down
into the street.. At the same moment Abdallah chanced
to look up, and their eyes met. Thereupon the fagot-
maker’s heart crumbled away within him, for she was the
most beautiful princess in all the world. Her eyes were
as black as night, her hair like threads of fine silk, her
neck like alabaster, and her lips and her cheeks as soft
and as red as rose-leaves. When she saw that Abdallah
was looking at her she dropped the curtain of the balcony
and was gone, and the fagot-maker rode away, sighing
like a furnace.

So, by-and-by, he came to his palace, which was built
all of marble as white as snow, and which was surrounded
with gardens, shaded by flowering trees, and cooled by
the plashing of fountains. From the gateway to the door
of the palace a carpet of cloth of gold had been spread for
him to walk upon, and crowds of slaves stood waiting to
receive him. But for all these glories Abdallah cared
nothing; he hardly looked about him, but, going
straight to his room, pressed his ring and summoned the
Genie.

“What is it that my lord would have?” asked the
monster. :

“Oh, Genie!” said poor Abdallah, “I would have

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