Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1892-01-15
AN EGYPTIAN INCIDENT.

ward or CURED up In all sorts OF ode
positions lie the crew. a motley col.
lection OF Arabs Nubians and Osman-
lis. There is nothing stirring. The
mark OF the desert Is on al
around. Even the sun now nearly on
level with the Nubian mountains
away on the horizon, looks tired and
dusty. The intense quiet bothers the
colonel; so he yawns and growls once
more. He Is widower with two
children the elder lad OF Is, who
has already made something of a repu-
tation as student of Egyptian re-
mains. having been enamored OF the
land since the evil day when the
Colonel first proposed to winter on the
Nile. The second Is gentle lad OF
ten years well liked by everybody.
he gives his vote for Egypt every win
ter because Jack asks it as favor.
They are ashore now after relics. and
have promised to report when the
dahabeah ties up for the night az AS
Fouan before warping her way
through the cataract
The coloners eyes follow q move
ment in the tangled group OF figures
on the deck. Two men rise, shouting
at each other the while. The colonel
and the dragoman. who had just poked
his head out OF his room on the deck,
look on lazily. Suddenly one of the
disputants makes rush at the other
the CLEAN OF steel is seen ana the crew
close around the men. A quick stroke,
a shout anger changed to agony and
4 Nubian lies on the deck with the
dagger OF Aooo. powerful Arab, in
his breast
All this so quietly that the colonel
Is still growing that there is nothing
stirring to be seen in Egypt when he
reaches the group. and STOPPING over
the wounded man, draws the dagger
out 1t has left an ugly wound, but
not dangerous and as the wounded
man is taken in charge by his COM
rades the colonel turns to the drago-
man for an explanation.
With many profuse apologies the
dragoman tells how the two men were
sleeping side by side when the Nubian
inadvertently put his foot against the
Arabs face That was all, and the
dragoman smiled and bowed.
The colonel. en- old disciplinarian.
looked black as night In effective
English he ordered the dracoman.
after he discovered that the matter
vas not reckoned important enough
Tor Egyptian law to recognize, to
anchor the dahabeah and send boat
ashore with the culprit and his bag
gage. To the dragoman's question as
to how Aboo was 10 get Sack to Cairo
the colonel Numbered that he might
walk. The dragoman bowed and
smilcd-it was habit he had learned
from French friend in Cairo-and
translated the colonels remarks to
Aboo adding TO them such little pleas
antries as he thought of. He could
walk. His shoes-this with a smile
and bow directed to Aboo's bare
feet-his shoes might wear out. but
So Aboo having obtained his dagger
and an old ring-his only article OF
baggage-goes ashore mute ring re-
venge. which the dragoman interprets
to the colonel with n smile and bow.
The dahabeah glidos on and in an
hour is moored at Assouam The /
wandering relic hunters return and all /
aboard retire. for is not the cataract 1
TO be traversed at shutdown tomorrow? 4
Before sunrise Col MACPHERSON was
awakened by the shout of the young
gentleman's body servant who cried
excitedly. Wake, master! We can't
find Master Bob. Here is bit of pa
per that lay on his bed"
While the colonel rubbed his eyes
and looked at the scrap OF Arabic the
man produced, a commotion occurred
outside and tho dragoman rushed in
with Aboo's dagger in his hand. II
pad been taken from the breast of the
Nubisn stabbed to the heart during
the night The boat that had been
towed astern OF the dahabeah after
Aboo's trip ashore was gone. There
was no doubt explained the drago-
man, with his customary smile that
the Arab had lain ashore until the
lights won't out swan aboard. knitted
his enemy, and left again in the boat.
AT this the colonel. still holding the
paper in his hand. turns pale and
trembllngly gives in to Jack who
knows Arabic. Dragoman and crew
~AN"e oiOutAd Nnlic ne SLOWLY TCdOS. I
: Aboo might have killed the English
dog tonight but to steal the pride of
his tent was better revenge -
They searched for the fugitives with
hearts after a time. but
never trace OF the boy.
dead or living. did they find.
Almost mad with grief bus not until
he hot weather threatened his life
Col Mcpherson returned 10 Cairo and ,
aid tho terrible affair personally be-
orc the khedive. Bat it was all in
rain. Year after year he haunted the
Nile. promising back sheesh to an I'M {
United extent for the restoration OF
lis boy. but the Arabs shook their
leads--Aboo had disappeared without /
eaving any trace. To the father who 1
earched for his lost boy there was no 7
ack OF interest now in Egypt. /