The Yale expositor., 1895-10-25

of seeds.
Among these there was none worse
off than Ayeshas father, whose lands
being low and near the river, were
still under water. In an evil moment
he confided his difficulties to his new
made friend, Nassau.
But what am l to do?" said the old
man. How shall get fresh seed when
all my savings OF the past year are
gone? They went to till and plant
those fields that are now under water"
well, replied Nassar,"I see no other
way for you but to borrow the money
you require. Luckily my master is COM
ing down here in a few days and l will
put your case before him and get him
to lend you what you require. 1t is true
that he is a hard man, but will feel
sure he will make favorable terms for
you when request him to do so out of
consideration for me-"
He then left. A couple Of days later
he returned to say that after long and
stormy discussion with his master, dur
ing which he had threatened to leave
him and take service elsewhere, the lat
ter had consented to lend the money re-
quired without any interest, only stip-
ulating that II the loan were not repaid
by certain date, he should have the
right to sell Ali's property in order to
repay himself
This condition was gladly accepted
as by the date named the new crops
would have been gathered and sold. An
agreement was drawn up and signed
by both parties, Nassau signing for his
master, who he said had returned to
Cairo.
Taking advantage of his intended
victims inability to read, Nassau con-
trived to change the date at which re-
payment would have to be made; in
stead of its being six months hence, as
he had told Ali, the loan would have
to be repaid in as many weeks.
Five weeks had already gone by,
when one day Nassau, holding an open
letter, came to Ali to say that his mas
ter had written to him that he wanted
and that he had to collect every loan
made TO the peasantry as soon as II
became due.
But mine does not fall due for some
time to come" said Ali. Il have no
fear but that when the time comes,
shall be quite able to repay it."
How is it," asked Nassau, that my
master speaks of your loan as shortly
due? Is 1t possible that he is mistaken
as to the date? He writes that your
loan has to be repaid by Friday next
you had better let me see the copy you
hold of the agreement between YOU"
This was brought and sure enough IL
stated that the loan had to be repaid in
six weeks, or the property would have
to be sold.
To be sold at time like this, after
the disastrous floods of the spring! Why
1t would barely fetch one-third of its
value, and that third would be swal-
lowed in repaying the sum that had
been borrowed.
All their neighbors when they came
to hear of ii, were loud in their express
sions of sympathy with the old people
but were too poor to help them cut Of
their difficulties.
Nassau, who was a daily visitor, be-
walled his inability to help them. He
had. he said, begged his master to con-
tent himself with part payment only
but this had been refused. Had it been
accepted he could have advanced the
amount himself.
1t wanted but two days till the time
when Ali had to repay the loan, when
one evening, Nassau, who now was al
ways with him, as If struck by a sudden
thought, exclaimed:
II can only see one way for you out
of your difficulty. You have a daughter;
give her to me Sbr a wife. / will then
claim your property as her dowry, and
not even my master will be able to
touch it,"
II must consult my daughter first,
replied Ali, land If she be willing to
have you for her husband, see no OBJ
lection to your plan; but, bark you,
love my daughter as the apple of my
eye, and would sooner die of hunger
ludH dllClhpl " AOASC ihSiihdblOAis
That evening Ayesha was told of
Nassar's proposal and that she could
save her parents from beggary in their
old age by consenting to marry him.
The girl burst into tears: checking
them by an effort, she replied that she
would do all that her duty and love for
her parents commanded her to do.
On the following morning she was
nowhere to be found. Nassau, furious
at being foiled, threw off the mask be
had worn all along, and after claiming
the money due to his master and receiv-
ing a reply that it could not be paid,
turned Ayesha's parents out of their
home and bade the public crier give no.
tice that the property would be sold a
week hence to the highest bidder.