And with a respectful bow he left her presence.

“Well,” said old Salim to himself, as he went away, “she can never marry my boy, for that is certainly out of the question; but now that I have found out her motive, I think I can arrange matters satisfactorily, so far as she is concerned.  But to settle the affair between that young man and Phedo is immensely more difficult.  The first thing is to find them.”

Having learned the way they had gone, the old tutor travelled diligently, and in two days came up with Alberdin and Phedo.  When he first caught sight of them, he was very much surprised to see that they were resting upon the ground quite a long distance apart, with a little stream between them.  Noticing that Alberdin’s back was toward him, he threw off his disguise and hastened to Phedo.  The boy received him with the greatest delight, and, after many embraces, they sat down to talk.  Phedo told the old man all that had happened, and finished by relating that, as they had that day stopped by this stream to rest, Alberdin had taken it into his head to inquire into the parentage of his young companion; and after many questions about his family, it had been made clear to both of them that they were the two third cousins who were to fight for the Autocracy of Mutjado.

“He is very angry,” said the boy, “at the tricks that have been played upon him, and went off and left me.  Is it true that I am to fight him?  I don’t want to do it, for I like him very much.”

“It will be a long time before you are old enough to fight,” said Salim; “so we need not consider that.  You stay here, and I’ll go over and talk to him.”

Salim then crossed the stream, and approached Alberdin.  When the young man saw him, and recognized him as the person who had arranged the two encampments, he turned upon him with fury.

“Wretched old man, who came to me as the emissary of my antagonist, you are but the tutor of that boy!  If I had known the truth at first, I would have met him instantly; would have conquered him without hurting a hair on his head; and carrying him bound to the capital city, would have claimed the Autocracy, and would now have been sitting upon the throne.  Instead of that, look at the delay and annoyance to which I have been subjected.  I have also taken such a fancy to the boy that rather than hurt him or injure his prospects, I would willingly resign my pretensions to the throne, and go back contentedly to my own city.  But this cannot now be done.  I have fallen in love with the daughter of the late Autocrat, and she will marry none but the victorious claimant.  Behold to what a condition you have brought me!”

The old man regarded him with attention.

“I wish very much,” said he, “to defer the settlement of this matter for thirteen years.  Are you willing to wait so long?”

“No, I am not,” said Alberdin.

“Very well, then,” said the old man, “each third cousin must retire to his camp, and as soon as matters can be arranged the battle must take place.”