LIE STRANLD MAGALINE,

CWITH A WILD CRY oF ANGUISH HE passcd Nishastill has hived, and his vengeance is not yct complete. The wayfarers who cross these plains at night have mdeed had rcason to lament the terrible erime of the son of On and the cxaction of its requitement. Upon them suddenly steals a band of horse- men who snatch up the incautious wanderers and bear them away shricking at their doom, for they are rarcly again scen ahive by mortal men. T'he people of Khorassan declare that they are gathered round the dead body of On 1n an enchanted erowd, and hold up therr living yet lifeless hands in vain supplication to Nisha, who stalks among them a strange scmblance of humanity. Distorted with age, his lTong, shrivelled arms reach to his feet as he holds the captives motionless with the clarc of his red, bird-like cyes.”

“A most interesting story, Hassan,” sad Denviers, when the Arab had fnished 5 @ and you rcally believe that Nisha has hived sinee the time when the Chaldeans stucdicd the stars from the top of Babcel's uncompleted tower 2”7 and he whistled rreverently,

“T'he mimd of man 1s a well unfathomed, nonce know its depths,” responded Hassan. S0 Alah and the Prophet will it so, why should not Nisha become mmortal 27

COVERED IS FACE WIETH IS HANDS

SWelly Hassan,” T oiterposed, “ T must confess that I should like to sce both the horsemen and the tomb before accepting your story as truc.”

The Arab looked gravely at us as we reclined upon the cushions of our tents.

U Rest now,” heanswered, “and your guide will watch at the door of the tent. If the band of riders should chance to-night to cross the path yonder, T will surely awake you that vour eyes may rest upon them.”

I1.

Worn out with the days of long, dreary viding which we had endured in our journey from Demavend to Khorassan, we had sunk into a profcund sleep, when IHassan entered the tent and hastily aroused us.

“See for yourselves, sahibs!” he ex- clamed, “the band is returning to Nisha, and bearing away some shricking captive!” We sprang to the door of the tent and looked out. The sky was growing overcast with clouds, through which at fitful intervals the heht of the moon struggled and lit up the scene around. A hreeze sprang up for a few minutes; and as the clouds scudded before i, there was revealed to us a strange spectacle,