The morning times., 1895-11-11
discussed what had passed and W hat was to

QfoOucoCd Wdat uab Peiooeh paAd F." ILL Vac ~
be apprehended.
"Osman," said the Refs Effendi, thou
played bold game and won il; yet know
too well the character ard disposition OF
Murad to be able sincerely 20 congratulate
thee. To-day thou art victorious aid Grand
vizier, Tomorrow thou maycst only too
probably be defeated and slain"
''Reis Effendi," answered Osman, leach
must yield TO fate; but for my Part, have
no Intention of playing game against the
Sultan Tomorrow"
.'Thou hast no iutentionl'' cried the Refs
Effcndi, in amazeiHent. Nay, but be has
the intention tocornmand thee to co o. and
art thou So simple as TO suppose that thou
hast power to refuse?"
Osman, however, said calmly:
''If your Ma jesty will permit me 10 express
my opinion, should say let no man knowof
this conspiracy. for even the ruinor OF insur-
rection is apt to Hnsettle mems minds and
spread the infection frcvolt- Thcplan of the
conspirators al present Is secret; let il never
be declared crush IL in The bud. A this
stage a very small force VIII suffice, even
as the beginning of fire, which neglected
would waste city, may he quelehed with
the contents of bucket. Let me, your
Ma jesty, take 500 Janissaries with me, pro-
ceed with all speed to Adrjanople and two
hours after my arrival the leaders of the
plot will be executed and the movement viii
be at an end"
The Sultan approved this reasoning and
the advice given by his new Grand
yizier, and bade him start at once on the
mission he had proposed.
Within an hour the Grand vizier, with his
escort of 500 men, left the capital; osman.
ashe parted with bis friend. the Refs Effendi.
observed simply: The game of chess is ad-
journed."
The Grand vjZier on reaching Adrian
ople, proceeded Immediately to the house
OF the governor OF Roumalia, and had him
executed on the spot Having also put
to death several of his creatures and off
cials who had been guilty of the grossest
tyranny and extortion, and also those
who had been in any way Implicated in
the projected rising, he replaced, to the
great joy of all, his father in his former
position of governor OF ROu:lalia. and has
tened back to report to bis majesty that
the province was now perfectly contented
and loyal.
The Sultan was delighted with the
promptitude and energy of his new Grand
yizier He began from this time 10 rely
on his judgment and to take his advice
on every occasion, and for time osrnau
ruled the empire with unquestioned and
conspicuous success. Murad often com
manded the presence of his Grand vizier
at the chess board. but the stakes to be
played for were always fixed within the
bounds of reason and moderation, and.
whether the games were lost OF wOn-and
Osman was too prudent often to win
the terrible claws of the Imperial tiger
remained sheathed in velvet.
One afternoon ne took occasion on win
ming a game TO address osman as follows:
My good Grand Fizier. nUtice that in
these little friendly contests of ours you
seldom win Now. like not to play with
one who puts not out his full strength"
With a mocking smile, he con tinued:
Probably the stakes are now too trivial
to make it worth while for yen to exert
your fun powers This must be remedied.
l on my part Will stake one of my daugh-
ters; you shall, lf you win, have her to
wife. and with her a dowry of 200 purses
of gold And you on your side must, 1 sup
pose, play for the stake you played for
at first, and then, you remember, you won
in five moves, and easily enough"
"Your Majesty" said Osman, who saw at
once that the temper of the Sultan had
changed, and who entertained no doubt but
that his own fate was already determined
upon, whatever stakes you decree must, OF
course, be accepted, but this time have no
new gambft to pit against your unriyalled
and ever-victorious Skill"
The Sultan appreciated the compliment,
but it did not cause him to alter his decision.
The afternoon of the next day was fixed as
the time appointed for the playing of this
fateful game. During the interval osnan
pondered deeply on the best course to pur-
sue in the predicament in which he row
found himself He was in little doubt that
even though he should win this game. an
other equally nomentous would follow and
that nothing could avail TO keep his head
on tisshouidersif II Murad had, as sheshrcwdiy
suspected, determined to get rid OF him.
Yet it was clear that under these circurn-
stances, to win would probably be less i'm
mediately fatal than to lose; ii might for 4
short time delay, If It could not avert
the end that seemed inevitable. Therefore,
when, on the following afternoon. the
Grand yizier faced the Sultan at the chess
board, each of these good players sat down
determined to win, If he possibly could man
age it,
They were not alone. A iarge number Of
the great officers and high officials OF the
state and the palace sat watching the game
which might so suddenly terminate the brief
and brilliant career of one ofsthe players
II am hardly SO Country bred as 10 sup
pose that said osmau; nevertheless,
l venture to hope that / may be able SO 10
order things that Murad shall not demand
a game Tomorrow"
And how is that to be accomplished"
demanded the Refs EffendL What dark
scheme is this thou hast in hand?"
AT present have no scheme completed,
said osman, but only the outline or
idea OF the tactics which must be resorted
to- Ny aim must be 10 get some affair of
such urgency and Importance befnre Murad
Tomorrow morning that he will have
neither the leisure nor inclination for
chess playing or any other form of anIGse
ment In the concerns Of SO great 6n en-
pire'-
Before osnlan could complete the sentence
an anatteridanI entered and announced that an
old man was waiting without who desired
earnestly an interview with the Grand
vizier
1T is late" said osman, but If he he an
old man, doubtless he must have an ade-
quate reason for coming at this hour. Let
him enter
When the applicantentered the apartment
what was Osnian's astoDishment to behold
in him no other than his own father. After