The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-11-05
(Chapter III. }


Of his identity TO ali men save myself.
When he died at the hands of the fanatics.
whose faith he had outraged, | alone OF
all Christians knew that it was Christian
blood that had stained the streets OF hez.
But how different my own death must
have been. l had travelled openly as a
Christian and an Englishman. At the
consulate of Tansier l was known by
name and repute and at that of Fee l had
registered myself. My presence had been
notified at every town l had passed
through, and The men of my caravan
would not have dared to return to their
homes without me. In the. case of the
murder of the American the chances to
the Moorish authorities of claim for in
demnity were as one to five hundred. In
the case of the like catastrophe to myself
they must have been as five hundred to
one Thus in spite of fanaticism and the
ineradicable hatred of thu Moslem for the
Nazarene, Morocco to Inc, as to all
Christian travellers, travelling openly
and behaving themselves properly, was as
safe place as England itself.
But how can man be hot and cold and
wise and foolish in moment? / was in
no hu1nor to put the matter to myself
temporarily, and though had been so
cool as to persuade myself that the author
tiles whom I had bribed could not have
been madmen enough to think that they
could conceal the murder of the American
by numbering me, yet | must have re-
manned convinced that Larby himself
was such a mailman
AS surgeon I had some knowledge of
madness, and the cold clear. steelly gilt
ter of the mans eyes when he looked at
me was thing that could not mistake.
had seen it before in religious mono
maniacs. 1t is an infallible and fatal
sign. With that light in the eyes, like
the glance OF a dagger, men Will kill the
wives they love and women will slaughter
the children of their bosom. When
| saw it in Larby shivered with chilly
presentiment. 1t seemed to say that I
should see my home no more. I have
seen my home once more, am back in
England, l am here, but
Father, am 1 telling you again, and
| again? That hour comes back and back
How long will it haunt me? How lops
| For ever and ever. When time for me
| swallowed up in eternity, eternity VII.
be swallowed up in the memory of that
hour. Peace! Do you say peace? All,
yes, yes, sod is mercifu1.
Before l had spoken to Larby his pres
ence in our company had been only us a
dark and fateful shadow. Now it was q
foul and hateful incubus. Never in all
my life until then had felt hatred for
any human creature. But hated that
man with all the sinews of my soul.
man9 He intended to keep me from my
dying boy. Why should feel tenderness
towards him because he was the father of
his little Hoolia? By killing me he
would kill my little Noel.
| I began to recall the doctrines of the
American as he propounded them on the
| ship. 1t was the life of an honest man
against the life of scoundrel. These
things should be rated ad valorem. If the
worst came to the worst, why should
have more respect for this madman's life
than for my own?
i | looked at the man and measured his
strength against mine. He was brawny
fellow with broad shoulders, and / was
no better than weakling. l was afraid
of him, but l was yet more afraid OF my
self. Sometimes I surprised my half
| conscious mind in the act of taking out
| of its silver-mOunted sh saith the large
curved knife which had bought of the
hawker at Tangier. and now wore in the
belt of my Norfolk jacket. In my cow
ardice and my weakness this terrified me.
Nor all my borrowed philosophy served
] to support me against the. fear of my own
impulses. Meantime / was in an agony
of suspense and dread. The nights
brought me no rest and the mornings no
freshness.
On the fourth day out of Fee we ar
rived at Wazzan, and there, though the
1 uOui helo sUili carly lAcu uSClOOu W
encamp for the night. l protested and
they retorted; I threatened and they ex-
cused themselves. The mules wanted
shooting; I..offered to pay double that they
might be shod Immediately. The tents
were torn by heavy wind of the previous
night Ioffered to buy new ones. When
their trumpery excuses failed them the
men rebelled openly, and declared their
determination not to stir out of Wazzan
| that night =
| But they had reckoned without their
host this time. l found that there was
an English Consul at Wazzan, and went
in search of him. His name was Smith,
and he was = typical Eng lishman-ample,
expansive, firm, resolute, domineering,
and not troubled with too much senti-
| ment. l told him of the rvevolt of MY
people and of the tyranny of the subter-
fuges whereby they had repeatedly extort-
ed brides. The good fellow came to my
relief. He was man of purpose, and he
had no dying child twelve hundred miles
away to make him a fool and coward.
Mem he said, you've got to start
away with this gentleman at shutdown,
and ride night and day-do you hear me,
night and day-until you come to Tan
gier. A servant of my own shall go with
you, and If You stop or play or halt or go
slowly he shall see that every man of you
is clapped into the Kasbah as black
mailer and thief"
There was no more talk of rebellion.
The men protested that they had always
been willing to travel. Sid had been
good to them, and they would be good to
Sidi. At shutdown they would be ready.
You will have no more trouble, sir,
said the Consul; ''but 1 will come back
to see you start"
1 thanked him and we parted. 1t WAS
still an hour before sunset, and turned
aside to look at the town. Il had barely
walked dozen PAGES whom l came face
to face with Larby. In the turmoil of
my conflict with the men I had actually
forgotten him for one long hour. He
looked at me with his glittering eyes,
and then his cold clear gaze followed the
Consul as he passed down the street. That
double glance was like shadowy warn
ing It gave me shock of terror. How
had forgotten my resolve to BATTLE sus-
picion by exchanging no word or look
with any European minister or consul as
long as / remained in Morocco9 The ex-
preston in the mans face was not to be
mistaken. 1t seemed to say, $50 you
have told ALL very we'll, Sid, we shall
see''
With sense as of creeping and cring-
+ oh,