The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-03-12

cid kings were at least good engineers
and skilled in stone working, / had al
ways replied that il was not good en-
gineering 10 waste material and labor,
and that cared naught for them, be-
ing but plain engineer.
/ must ask pardon for talking shop
again and get back to my tale, and at
that part of IL where, after many profit
less imaginings, / one day woke. as if
from sleep, and saw bending over me
face which l knew and yet did not
know.
| rs this Mr.. Mac Dougall?" asked,
| making use of the name of a young
Scotch engineer who had been expected
in camp about the time / found the
| dark scarab. But my voice sounded
strangely weak, and my tongue had a
way of falling about in my mouth that
was new 10 me.
Its "a shocking old dad not TO know
his own son." said a fresh young voice;
"but never you mind. You've been jolly
we'll knocked out, You know, but you're
as right as need be now. So be off with
| you to sleep again"
And i obeyed and dreamed that Ar
| thur wore upon his brow the globe and
serpent and held in his hand the whip
] and scepter OF Ammon Ra, who must be
obeyed.
My big hands have firm grip, and,
once they had taken hold on life again,
my recovery was rapid. A pleasant day
it was for me when was judged strong
enough To talk IL all over with my son.
A fine, well-grown lad he was, and quick
and merry.
lawfully obliging of you, dad" said
he, as he sat by the bedside, holding my
gaunt hand in his. "I've wished to
come To Egypt for long time, and your
sore head gave me such jolly excuse.
Sorry you can't smoke. too, but you'll
be up to it in no time. And you haven't
r'ead the papers much while the croco-
dies were chasing you. so I'll construe
few lines out of the Egyptian Times,
of date month or so ago: The partic-
uiars of @ sad affair have just reached us
from the province of Beni-Suef. The
eminent engineer, Beswick Bey'-that's
you, gov'nor-'eminent engineer isn't
so bad, eh?-'was on Thursday last
struck down in his tent by a native
servant named Ali Hasan, whose motive
ia supposed to have been robbery, and
who succeeded in making his escape.
Some native employees of the engi-
neering department found Beswick Bey
suffering from two bad scalp wounds
His right hand was also bruised
end lacerated, probably in an effort to
wrench away his keys, though no con-
nccted account of the affair is possible,
as the Bey, owing TO the heat and the
impossibility of securing proper care so
far from any town. lies in a fever from
which he is not expected to recover.
Casaldi Bey is in attendance as physi-
clan, by His Highness the Khedive's
special instruction. Beswick Bey's only
son, a recent Oxonian graduate, has
been notified There, pater. That's
the whole affair in a nutshell so far as
know anything about it. If that rascal
of an Ali were here, he might tell you
more"
"Ah Hasan is no rascal, but as true
q man as ever drew BREATH" said as
stoutly as / might.
"Mattoid, perhaps" said Arthur. in
his jesting way; "epileptoid; an ego
Elaniac clubomaniac. No matter what
you do, IL yer art be true, and Ais art
was true to dad. Right you are, gov'nor,
no doubt"
Cray he may have been, but ras-
cal, never" said /, when at length /
gathered Arthur's meaning. For the
fashions Of speech change as do the
fashions of dress, and I. having for so
many years spoken little save Arabic,
and learned my English only from
printed pages, found myself almost un-
able to understand the words of an edu-
Gated gentleman of to-day. Also, it net
tied me not little TO see that Arthur
was by way of thinking me more daft
than Ali.
but what was that about the keys?"
said j, 10 change the subject. And when
he had again read the passage from the
newspaper'-"But held no keys" 1
cried, "and had little money with me.
and 10 that little Aliknew he was as well
come as you are. had naught in my
hand but fine black stone scarab 1
had picked up for YOU"
Here's a rum 60" muttered Arthur,
whence perceived that he was puzzled.
Then he raised his voice, and l was
pleased 10 see that he could already
give the words OF command in the
Arabian tongue: '"Ta turgeman, "a
ala beneh!"
"Ana gal. Ia Sidi." said the new
dragoman who had taken Ali's place,
as he entered tho room. And present.
ly, when he knew what was required,
he unearthed from beneath some litter
OF the camp the mystic stone which had
lain forgotten since the day was
struck down.
aye, lad" said I. as I saw ~. "it
vas that held when Ali Hasan felled
me. and IL was 90 that / clung
while he beat and battered my right