in surprise at the nearly healed cut.
"This is better – much better than I hoped for," he said. "A week more of quiet, and you will be all right."
He bathed the wound with a lotion, replaced the bandages, and then wandered restlessly about the room. This was but a repetition of his course ever since Irar had come to him, and caused his guest no uneasiness.
After a time he grew quiet, and going to the window, seemed to be pondering some plan. Then his face lightened, and coming back to Irar's couch he said:
"I will make a cooling drink for you, and then go out." And he left the room, soon returning with the draught, which he held out to his patient, who took it and drained the liquor to the dregs.
Again the surgeon wandered about the room in a restless way, furtively watching Irar, who soon felt a delicious languor stealing over his senses.
"Let me see your pearl once more," said the surgeon, and Irar languidly handed it to him.
Did he dream it? – or did he see the surgeon clutch it fiercely, then thrust it hurriedly into his mouth and with a gleam of savage triumph hastily swallow it?
There was no certainty of this when he awoke, but a strange sensation of indistinctness in his mind, which gradually cleared as his eyes grew accustomed to the light. But he could not rid himself of the thought, and he thrust his hand under the covering of the couch where he had kept the pearl, and started up with a cry of horror.
The pearl was gone!
A man came running in, alarmed by his cry; and of him Irar demanded, in a voice choked and hoarse with emotion:
"Your master, quick! – where is he?"
"I have not seen him for a week."
"A week? And I?"
"You have been asleep. My master said you would not wake before a week had passed, and that he would return ere your slumber was broken."
It was true, then, this horror that he had thought a dream; and he buried his face in his hands that the servant might not see his emotion. In a little time he grew calm, and raising his head, he said:
"Has your master returned?"
"No."
He put up his hand, and felt his throat – the bandage was gone. To his questioning look, the man said:
"The master ordered it. It was taken off the third day after he went away, and you can eat if you desire to."
"I will. Bring me a light repast."
In a little time he was eating the food brought, and calling for his clothes he put them on and tried to walk. At first his steps were unsteady, but they quickly grew firm. Finding that the pouch containing his knife and purse was in its place, he went forth. But instead of seeking his own home, or the lane that had so often been the goal of his wanderings, he turned southward, and leaving the city was soon pacing the sands leading towards the rocks that he had so frequently explored.
Soon he reached them, and began his usual clambering among them, going on and on, but keeping near the sea. At times his hand would explore the pouch where his knife was, and once he drew it forth, and his eyes gleamed with satisfaction as his finger tested the keenness of its blade.
His glance sought every shadowy hollow, and twice he turned into fissures that seemed to lead to a deeper gloom. But he returned and kept on, reaching at last a bold crag, beneath which a gully of the sea ran in – so narrow that he could almost step across it.
The garrulous call of a gull drew his attention to a dark object that rose and fell with the swelling and sinking of the tide, close to a little square of sand at the head of this opening. It had a strangely human look, and he made his way down to it. Taking off his sandals, he gathered his garments up above the wash of the waves, and soon had grasped the floating clothes that streamed out from the central mass.
The strain caused this to turn over, and showed him the white and livid face of the very man who had played him false.
For a moment a savage joy filled his soul, and then his manhood exerted its sway, and pity came; and as the softer feeling caused a mist to gather in his eyes, he noticed that there was a large, unnatural lump protruding from the dead man's throat.
Hastily drawing the body on the sands, he drew forth his knife, and carefully cut the flesh about this.
A cry of joy came, as his pearl dropped from the slit and lay, clear and shining, on the sand.
Hastily secreting it, his better thought prompted him to bury the man whose avarice had come so near wrecking his life, and finding an oar blade on the sand, he dug a grave close to the rock, and dragged the body to this.
A small tablet fell from the clothing as he was doing this, and he picked it up and put it in his pouch. Then he covered the body, and heaped the sand high above it.
Resting for a little time, he clambered back to the top of the cliff and quickly returned to the city, hastening to the vizier's palace.
His request to have audience with the sultan was immediately granted, and the vizier being about to report to his royal master, Irar was told to accompany him.
Arrived at the palace, the vizier quickly made Irar's wish known.
"The slave I gave your highness for a pearl-fisher desires to speak with you."
"Let him speak, for he has ever done his work well," said the sultan.
Bowing his head low, Irar held out his hand, closed over the pearl.
"Your highness promised freedom and gold to the slave who should bring you the finest pearl on earth; will this one win the gift?" And he unclasped his hand and showed the peerless gem it had hidden.
With a cry of delight, the sultan said:
"Yes, you are free, and the golden pieces shall be paid you when you wish them – now, if it is your choice. More, I appoint you the inspector of my pearl fisheries. Hand me the gem, and do you see our wishes fulfilled."
The last commands were addressed to the vizier, who took the pearl and laid it in the sultan's hand. Irar bowed low, and withdrew to the outer court by the palace gate. Here he was soon joined by the vizier, who gave him the certificate of his freedom, and the royal decree announcing his appointment to the inspectorship.
He also gave Irar some costly jewels, saying:
"You have done well. The sultan is overjoyed at this rare good fortune, for the pearl is much larger than that of the Sultan of Coromandel. He has remembered that I gave you to him, and so I share my gain with you."
Irar thanked him, and taking the papers, asked permission to be absent from duty for a time.
"You are free, and can do what you please, and you need not assume your new duties for a week."
Thanking him, Irar hastened away. It was growing late, but the sun still shone in the lane when he turned down its shadowy way. The gate was quickly reached; but before he came to it, it was flung open, and the light and gladness of his life shone on him.
As he clasped her in his arms, she murmured:
"I have watched for
