"'Ah, ha!' exclaimed the prince, with an indescribable insinuation of biased rebuke in the look with which he challenged further revelations from the speaker. 'That touches me nearly; this must not be; an industrious subject may not suffer while there is a remedy at hand.' "''Tis on that head I would beseech your majesty!' exclaimed the merchant, seizing the opportunity provided, with such plausible ingenuousness, by the august speaker. "'Proceed, Ram Lal,' urged the prince, with an amiability which the merchant had known to be a dangerous prelude in the past. "'Great prince!' replied the merchant with the prompt obedience which contemplates a possible reversal of privilege. "'Nine days from home I strayed. "'On my return I find my house despoiled of all its store. "'And with the rest, O prince, the priceless tokens of thy high regard. "'Aside from these, I do not mourn my loss, for it may be repaired. "'Nor will I question fate, whose ears are dull to hear, whose eyes refuse to see the victims of her spleen. "'But hear, O prince--my one ewe lamb, my sole delight--my daughter greets me not. "'The empty halls no more re-echo to her tread. "'No more sweet mur----' "'Enough, Ram Lal,' interrupted the prince. 'I have heard that a needle thrust into the eye of a bullfinch will make it sing, but I did not know that misery could transform a merchant to a bard. "'Disjoint your phrases a degree. You say your daughter greets you not?' "'Yes, O prince,' replied Ram Lal, abashed at this cynical embargo upon the melancholy luxury of his rhythms; 'yes, and it is of her I would speak.' "'Speak,' urged his august hearer. "After a moment's reflection, in the manner of the unwelcome envoy who has reached the acute juncture of his recital and is about to disembarrass himself of a dangerous climax, the merchant continued in sordid Hindustani: "'As I have said, O prince, my daughter has been taken from me, and I come to you in my extremity.' "'And why to me, Ram Lal?' demanded the prince, with a gleam in his glance which was directly responsible for the pacific presentation which followed. "'Because,' replied the merchant with discerning irreverence, 'if it so please your highness, your providence is practical, and the ways of Vishnu are tedious.' "'Ah!' exclaimed the prince appreciatively; 'that was not so bad for a merchant; but to the point.' "'Little can occur in this cantonment that is not known to your highness, or that cannot be determined if you so desire. "'I ask your august assistance, and I have, as you will see, observed the proprieties in making my request. "'It is a time-honored custom for the suppliant to signalize his appreciation of the importance of the favor he solicits, is it not so?' "'I did not know,' replied the prince, 'that commerce could develop such an oracle; it is a subtle sense of fitness you express. I am interested. Proceed.'