harm--that is my gift."

"So be it," said the Queen; "and to your two gifts I shall add a
third. Let all men love him. Go now, Martin, you are well equipped,
and satisfy your heart with the sight of all the strange and
beautiful things the world contains."

"Kneel and thank the Queen for her gifts," said a voice to Martin.

He dropped on to his knees, but could speak no word; when he raised
his eyes again the whole glorious company had vanished.

[Illustration: ]

The air was cool and fragrant, the earth moist as if a shower had
just fallen. He got up and slowly walked onward until near sunset,
thinking of nothing but the beautiful people of the Mirage. He had
left the barren salt plain behind by now; the earth was covered with
yellow grass, and he found and ate some sweet roots and berries.
Then feeling very tired, he stretched himself out on his back and
began to wonder if what he had seen was nothing but a dream. Yes, it
was surely a dream, but then--in his life dreams and realities were
so mixed--how was he always to know one from the other? Which was
most strange, the Mirage that glittered and quivered round him and
flew mockingly before him, or the people of the Mirage he had seen?

If you are lying quite still with your eyes shut and some one comes
softly up and stands over you, somehow you know it, and open your
eyes to see who it is. Just in that way Martin knew that some one
had come and was standing over him. Still he kept his eyes shut,