passed the night in the arcades, among the camels.  The next morning I went to the hotel and asked for the Grand Duke.  ‘Monsieur,’ I said to him, ’I am Mirza.  I would not sell myself to you, but if you will take me as a gift, behold, here am I.’  He took me to Paris, to Vienna, to St. Petersburg.  For a year he did not tire of me.  That was a long time for a savage to amuse a Grand Duke, was it not?  Then one day he gave me money, bade me keep the jewels he had given me, and sent me back to Biskra.  Since then I have been, first a dancing-girl, and then, the mother of them all.  I have never given the authorities any trouble.  I have observed the laws of France.  What will the laws of France do for me?” and she handed to the commandant the invoice which Abdullah had brought with his freight.

The commandant read the paper and his face grew troubled.

“Chancellor,” he said, “is this binding?”

The lawyer read the paper twice.  “Yes,” he said, “it is a mere hiring; it is not a sale.  I don’t see how we can interfere.”

“Mirza,” said the commandant, “it seems that you have a good contract, under Moslem law.”

“Excellent,” cried the oukil, rubbing his hands.

“Silence,” thundered the commandant.  “Speak French, and that only when you are spoken to.  Abdullah, have you anything which you wish to say to me?”

Abdullah bent and whispered in the ear of the girl who sat trembling; then he stepped forward.

“Monsieur le Commandant,” he said, “will you have the kindness to read this?” and he held out a paper.  It was yellow with age and of quarto size and twice folded.  The commandant took it, unfolded it, and read aloud, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.  Amen.”

“Why, this is the last page of a Bible,” he said.

“I do not know,” said Abdullah.  “He tore it from a book upon his table.  It was the only paper that he had.  Upon the other side is writing.”

The commandant reversed the paper and again read: 

THIS is to Certify that on the nineteenth day of February, 187-, in the Oasis of Zama, in the Great Sahara, having first baptized them, I did unite in marriage Philip (formerly Abdullah) and Marie (formerly Nicha), in accordance with the rites of our holy Church.

JOSEPH,
Who Keeps Goats.

Witness,
his
Ali, the son of Ali X
mark

her
ZINA, parentage unknown X
mark

“Ah, ha,” exclaimed the lawyer, “this changes the complexion of affairs,” and he threw the cards upon the floor.  “I could swear to Joseph’s handwriting, I have his IOU’s, but as I am now sitting as a magistrate, I cannot swear to anything.  Where are the witnesses, Abdullah?”

“With the camels, across the square,” said Abdullah; “if you will permit the corporal to go for them—­”

“Pardon,” said the oukil; “if I am permitted to speak I can save you the trouble.  We admit all that the goatherd certifies.”