Part 17 (2/2)

But little Akbar's eyes as he stands there do not wander from row to row To tell the truth, his eyes are not open at all! He has them fast closed; for so, he knows, he can see his 's voice It sounds a little anxious

[Illustration: ”_Ladies! unveil!_”]

There is a rustling of silks and satins, a faint swishi+ng of gauze and ainst leaves, froreen draperies

Which is Queen Humeeda's?

For an instant the child stands silent, his lips tre Then his eyes open and he sees so than another?

Where is it? In the first row, or the second row, or the third row?

What lad cry of----

”A figure in rose-coloured satin has dashed across the floor to fling itself into the arms of--Queen Huest e

CHAPTER XIX

BETWIXT CUP AND LIP

Now it may indeed seem that all our little Heir-to-Empire's troubles were over; but there is still soin with, Queen Huood for the little lad to be always at play She knew that as a King's son in the East, he would have s, and as he was now close on four that did not leave

So a tutor was found for him; but it is to be feared that he was by no means an industrious scholar Indeed, we hear of such dreadful things as playing truant, so that when a day was fixed for an exaetting on with his studies, ”at theattired himself for sport, had disappeared!” Then his first tutor was dis, and we read of his applying his thoughtsand Arab horses than to his books Still he did learn one thing, and a good thing, too

The day he was four years and four days old he was taught, as all little Mohaht, to understand _what_ he was, _what_ the world about hinise that neither he hi and the End of all things It was a stately ceremonial, not beautiful, and lavish, and expensive like the Festival of the Mystic Palace, but one which left its mark for always on the mind of the child

Despite his dislike to books as the only way of learning to be wise, he never forgot the day in the Great Mosque, when, before all his relations, he had to stand up dressed in his simple every day clothes and take the Holy Book froh priest's words:

”Read in the Nas in Heaven and earth, and Who hath given men power to be wise”

”_Bismillah!_--_Irruhman-nirruheem!_” he had answered as in duty bound, which means, ”Thanks be to Him who is merciful in this world andPrince Akbar learned that every reat mystery of birth and death is a merciful mystery

Thus the su Humayon, who had noasted nearly a whole year in ahbouring province

So the governorshi+p of Kabul was made over to a trusted noble of the Court, one Shurruf Khan by naent for little Prince Akbar, as left with his attendants in regal state at the palace in the Bala Hissar, while Queen Hu Bija with her, on a visit to her mother's relations

Roy, whose story had beco prince, and very handsome he looked in his chain arold on his breast, in token that he claihan sentry's old Surya Rajah who had been kidnapped and, it was supposed, left in the desert to die But whether Roy was the young Rajah or not, who could tell? They ht send the story to Suryamer and see what befell Meanwhile Roy was happy, and little Akbar and he becaer brother

How much in after years the prince owed to the companionshi+p of this friend of his childhood it is impossible to say Perhaps it accounts for the marvellous way in which the Great Emperor Akbar ruled his Hindoo subjects

Humayon had expected to return in acannot waste a whole year in amusement and so let wickedfor it And Humayon did suffer He had toon apace, until he was struck down by sudden illness At first the news caused no alar and healthy; but there ca was said to be lying unconscious, that death ht come any moment