Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1897-03-04

irgly behinf ne, followed, without
a protest. in his footsteps, Just as
lamb goes to the slaughter house.
He carried lamp, such IS al dra-o-
men carry IN the night time, and sud-
denly bethinking myself q TINS, |
asked him 10 light if.
"Presently, sare," he said; eve
shall come into plenty light soon"
To the best OF nv belief W. had now
gone about half nile. Once or twice
l fancied | heard football IL our rear,
and with contraction. OF the heart,
half turned to face an antlcipated as
saIlaut, but nothing emerged from the
darkness. and | resumed my journey,
perturbed and painfully suspicious.
The clouds suddenly thlnned before
the watery moon, aud the irregular
walls Of an old tumble-down ruin for
merly mosque of much repute, but
now q playhouse for oil the little
Turks In the villages round about,
loomed directly before Us, the deile
abruptly ending at the mouth O. a
rude road on the right.
The Albanian proposed lighting the
lamp III this rum, rs, on account OF a
gustv wind, itswonld be difficult to
i light it outside.
| [ thought his proposal rather un-
called Tor, since we mad the moon, but
/ acquiesced quietly, and followed him
in the mosque, which had been built
! IN that semi Oriental byzantine style
/ that, back through Venice, spread
! +
i Englands time. | was interested ia
] this relic OF another age, and momen-
/ tarlly forgot my suspicious. Antonio
stepped into a vault, which was still
almost entire, and which had once, IN
ali probability, been the refecto-v,
where the dervlshes, or priests, par
took moderately of food. He opened
the door Of the gaudy lantern, which
would have reminded You OF Aladdln's S,
and striking match, lit the wick.
"You wait, me fill chlbouk," said
he, setting the lantern down.
[ was seized from behind and thrown
violently to the ground, falling with
my hip on a sharp stone that made NE
lame for weeks after. | turned round
| without rising, being then unable OF
account of the wound [ had received
and saw one stalwart assallant cover
ME with q gun, and the other behind
him grasp the hills Of oisagreeab'
knife.
Antonio held the lamp aloft, ani
seemed to regard the whole affair as s
capital joke.
The boatman with the e., spokt
fiercely in Turkish, and tb Albanian.
turning to me, said: - ant money,
sare. Give 'em money, you so safe. ,
1t was very unpleasant looking ur
the muzzle Of that gun, and feeling
that the slightest movement might en-
danger my life, but l was an American
and disliked the cavali er manner O
those Turk ish dogs. [ was Just abou
to defy them to do their worst, vlel
| heard the tread Of men outside.
shouted out for help ct the top Of m,
voice, and six Turkish soldiers, headet
by an officer, came into the ruin at
trot and halted at the entrance OF Ia
sFvault, covering us all with thei
matchlocks.
That villainous Albanian. as soon q
he saw how quickly the table
were turned, ran forward ana com
menced fierce denunclation Of hi
acconlnlices.
"Inglish subiek?" asked The Turk
ish officer turning to me.
The English, yon must know, hay
so bulIied an! broubeaten the Turk
that tnev would rather allow an Eng
lish murderer to so scot free tina
come into collision with them.
:Amarican subject" l answered
succeeding IN q painful attempt 10 r.st
Then | made him understand bv suit
able gestures that the Albanian an
. the two Doatmen were all alike cuipa
BILE, and they were presently deprive
Of their knives and the gun, each on
OF them placed between two men. an
+, marched OF toward the spot where VI
. had landed.
Outside the ruin the roa! was fu
Of Turkish soldiers, ail going IN th
direction OF the Circassian encam1
mcnt, for purpose % overawiuG Ia;
brave and turbulent people. Jtl ges q,
very corrupt II Turkey. The Albania
contrIyed to bribe himself oot II
| clutches Of the law, but the two boa
men were very properly punished. :
Il New Iork News.