The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-11-27
PART I,
hurried IN THE TOME or zoEntpE.

~
T+YI I, YOUl MOBARAK. sALAAM AL
~ ehkome.' shouted Paul Clayton, a
III boy of 18. bringing his native boat
with n big ish-6n sail in to tho Ice OF the
steamer Persia, from Bombay, as it dropped
anchor for passengers oil the orange and
almond hills Of Bushire. In half an hour
it would sail again across the Persian gulf
and up the Euphrates and Iigris rivers to
Bassara and Bagdad.
Pau was the son of an American mis-
s%ionary. though bofn i'll India, a British
subject. Except his college days he had
ppent his life in India and Arabia. For a
year he had been connected with the north
ern division telegraph corps Of the British
India army, and with almost a years pay
in his belt he began his fret months vaca-
ton. He had been for the day among the
pearl divers and their dhows in the gulf of
Linga, and, returning, ran under the lee Of
the stenmer before going to the wharf.
Upon the deck stood a tall, broad shout
dered Ethiopian, black as the proyerbial
nee of spades, clad in spotless white from
head to foot, with n snowy effie bound over
his black head by a band of gold. He was
one of the wealthieat and most notorious
of Bombay's doubt al tinanciers. Paul had
q htu uhSLSs oiN 40 Aob-
%utation, did not tire himself with formality,
but shouted:
Hi, you! Mobarak! salaam a~lehkomey'
The Ethiopian started, glanced dow into
the boat and then away. Evidently, he did
net propose to respond.
With youthful brsvado Paul called
again. This time Mobarak solemnly waved
hia land in the Mohnmmedan salaam.
Haven't you lost your way?" Paul
shouted, determined to make him speak.
40 l. @-- - l. -.- IL. n.
with profound dignity. II stop at Bassara,
go over the desert to Mecca and return by
the Red sea to Bombay"
well. God go with you,'' Paul called, in
the Mohammedan farewell, and coming
into the wind. sailed away to the shore. As
he moored his boat the steamer started. He
watched it sail away, and, smiling u his
thoughts, muttered:
II wouldn't give a rap to know where he's
bound. but Pm sure of one thing, he is not
intending to stop at Bassara. He is not
going over the desert to Mecca and he is
not going hack to Bombay by the Red sea-
Having settled this he made his way up to
the government station. whore he found
himself in great demand. The telegraph
operator was of for the day and the fellow
at the other end had been calling steadily
since noon, with no one at Bushire who was
able to respond.
Paul seated himself and without a WORD
of explanation turned on the switch anc
sent over the wire the brief instruction
Fire away
The fellow did fire away. He had beer
kept in his chair nearly seven hours waiting
for the opportunity with several govern
ment messages under orders to rush
He hurled them in with a vengeance.
Pauls pen flew faster and faster. He had
taken everything but the last half of one
message, which was not clear. when there
came Il clear Good night" and all war
still. Instantly he called for a repeat. blu
there was no response. The operator hac
gone in a hurry.
Pau read over the message az he had it
10 Col. Charles Nichols, chief northern
division, military police: Mobarak. Ethio
plan. Black. Six feet two. Broad, Or
hoard S. 8. Bombay. Seize him; all hi
family and luggage. Let nothing escape.
Then followed something about a coun-
terfeit rupee mint and the official sigma.
ture of the chief of the Bombay police
Paul made two copies. One he put in
waterproof memoranda case in his poke