silver, and studded still more richly with gems. A huge carbuncle lighted it from above. This passage, longer than any of the others, came to an end before a golden door. Its handle was a huge emerald. Hazor turned it and found himself in a round chamber, larger and more beautiful than any he had seen.

The walls were of variegated marbles; the roof, a vaulted dome, was of the purest rock crystal, that flashed its rainbow-tinted light upon a pavement of rose-coloured jasper. A few feet from the wall, rose pillars of stalactite; some twisted like gnarled stems, some straight and smooth, some fantastic like Gothic columns. They were at regular intervals from each other, and formed a complete colonnade around the hall, dividing it into an inner and outer circle. In the centre babbled a fountain, wrought of interlaced golden serpents, from whose mouths issued streams of different colour, while a jet of pure water sprang from the middle which, uprising as a perfect column for a space, afterwards bent and spread into a mushroom spray, enveloping the whole fountain, and pattering and splashing at last into a white marble basin at its foot.

The hall was furnished with tables and chairs of exquisite workmanship, made of quaintly carved wood. They were all far too small for human beings. The prince seated himself upon the floor, overwhelmed by

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all the beauty he beheld; and he was long absorbed in the examination of this chamber, but was disturbed at last by a pattering of little feet, and the opening of the golden door, which admitted the strangest company Prince Hazor had ever seen.

They were small men, and most of them wore long grey beards. Their dresses were dark leather jerkins and knickerbockers, little red woollen caps, and blue stockings. One only was differently attired; he wore a dress of dark purple velvet.

He was clearly the chief, for they all bowed before him as he seated himself upon the seat of honour, a gold and crystal chair.

Until then they had appeared unmindful of Hazor's presence; but now, seated upon his throne, the king bent an angry regard upon him, and his followers did

the same.

'Prince Hazor,' said the little man, rising, 'what means your intrusion in my domain?'

'Pardon, my lord,' said the prince, springing to his feet, and bowing courteously; 'I meant not to offend. My intrusion was accidental. Dazzled by the beauty of your palace, I was beguiled on and on, unmindful I was trespassing.'

The little man's features relaxed, and grew more friendly, at the polite address and manner.

'What say you, my men,' he said, turning to the dwarfs; 'shall we make him welcome, this first mortal who has penetrated to our innermost palace? or eject him with a severe lesson against unbounded curiosity?'

The dwarfs glanced at their ruler, and seeing his softened eye, exclaimed as one man, 'Make him welcome!'

'You hear,' said the king to Hazor, and he did not seem displeased; 'they say you are welcome. It is a great privilege, and only accorded to you, I feel sure, on account of the good reputation you bear upon earth, and for your unavaricious temperament.' He glanced significantly at the gems around.

Prince Hazor once more bowed politely.

'I am a king's son, my lord,' he said, 'and know my duty towards a sovereign. I thank you and your people for a gracious welcome, and shall be happy if I may be considered your subject during my stay among you.'

The grim, wrinkled face of the little king relaxed yet more. He extended his hand: 'Come hither, prince,' he said, 'you are a noble man. Fame has not lauded you without cause. A banquet,' he cried, turning to his men; 'let it be prepared; our day's work is over. Our work,' he continued, turning to the prince in an explanatory manner, 'is no sinecure. We rule over all the land of gems, metals, and minerals, for

miles around, and my lords and I superintend the working, distributing, and hoarding of the treasures your compeers covet.'

While he spoke a company of dwarfs were busy preparing tables of refreshment. They were smaller men than the nobles, dressed only in woollen tunics, and wore no beards. Their movements were noiseless and rapid. In a few moments a sumptuous banquet was served. The appointments of the table were all of gold and crystal, studded with gems; the meats, served on silver plates, were not unlike to those eaten by mortals, only of smaller size.

The king asked Prince Hazor to sit down, which he did upon the floor, the chairs being too small to admit him. The king apologized for the circumstance, saying they had never yet had human visitors. Seeing Prince Hazor took it good-humouredly, he did so too, and laughed heartily at the giant crouched at his feet.

There was no wine upon the table; each guest was asked by the noiseless servants which kind they preferred, and then their goblet was taken to the various serpent heads, and filled thence.

These goblets attracted the attention of the prince. They were of a wide elegant form. The cup, smoothly scooped out of a pale violet stone unknown to him, was supported upon a slender twisted golden stem,