WHEN the eunuch had succeeded in putting his sovereign to death, he assumed the title of Shah­zada (Prince), and collected together all the eunuchs in the place, as also men of low station and desperate fortunes, who are ever ready to join in the cause of usurpers, with the hope of pre­ferment. The chief officers and nobles of the state, however, resolved to depose this insolent up­start. Among these was Mullik Andeel, an Abys­sinian chief, who was at that period on the frontier. This chief was contriving the means of punishing the usurper, and of reaching the capital in safety to carry such a plan into execution, when the eunuch ordered him to the presence, for the pur­pose of seizing and putting him to death. Mullik Andeel, however, considered this order as for­tunate, as it afforded him an opportunity to cover his design, and he accordingly proceeded to the capital. On his arrival, he found his own party so strong that the eunuch was deterred from any attempt on Mullik Andeel's life. In the mean time, the eunuch placing the Koran before him in dur­bar, made Mullik Andeel swear that he would not put him to death. Mullik Andeel solemnly swore, that since he had ascended the throne he would never lay hands on him while he “filled that seat.” He, however, determined to revenge the death of his master, and for this purpose secured the good will of the eunuch's personal servants. One night, after a debauch, Mullik Andeel entered the eu­nuch's hall of audience, and found him sleeping. He was then lying upon “the throne,” and recol­lecting his pledge, Mullik Andeel refrained from hurting him; but the eunuch, at the same moment turning on his side, fell from the throne. Mullik Andeel, who now felt himself released from his vow, drew his sword, and made a cut at Shahzada. The sword only wounded him slightly, but roused him; and seeing a naked weapon opposed to him, he rushed (though unarmed) on Mullik Andeel, and as he was the stouter man of the two, threw the latter. In the struggle the lights were extin­guished. The eunuch had hold of Mullik Andeel by the throat, and the latter, who was undermost, held the eunuch by the hair. Mullik Andeel called on his accomplices for aid. Yoghrish Khan Toork ran in, and discovering that they were both on the ground, hesitated what to do, till Mullik Andeel contrived to call out, “Cut away: the hog is upper-“most; and you cannot cut through him so as to “hurt me.” Yoghrish Khan made three or four cuts, when the eunuch lay as if lifeless; but after the conspirators had left the room, he ran and hid himself. On discovering that he had fled, search was made, and he was betrayed by his door-keeper, and killed by Mullik Andeel's own hand. On the death of the eunuch Mullik Andeel sent for Khan Jehan, the prime minister to the late king; and having related to him the whole of the affair, he said it was now proper for the nobles to elect a regent, as the son of Futteh Shah was only two years old. The minister and the other officers went to the late king's palace, and asked the Dowager-queen whom she chose to appoint regent. She replied, that she had sworn to support the claims of that person alone to the succession who should put to death the eunuch, the murderer of her husband. Mullik Andeel for a long time with­stood her entreaties; but the rest of the nobles having unanimously declared that there was no one so fit for the situation as him, he at length consented, and ascended the throne under the title of Feroze. The eunuch reigned for a period of two months.