The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-03-15

THE VISION CAME TO ME AGAIN
AND AGAIN.
5ewitched. / could not bear TO let IL
go out of my hand, and at night there
came TO me the vision OF n slender,
proud and beautiful young woman.
again and again. She had bare feet
and wore massive anklets of many coils,
and long, white, clinging robe. She
was dark even for an Egyptian"
Because she was no Egyptian" said
Ali Hasan. "She was of the dark peo-
pie from tho South who overran the
wife of Ra-Menkheper and the mother
Of Queen Shep-en-apet, wife of Psam-
metichos. 1t was she whom the young
master has described, even her statue
as il stands to-day in the great museum
OF Ghizeh, chizeled by the hand of one
size had bewitched. But the young mas
ter--being Frank and easily ashamed
has not told all; how the black witch's
heart drove from his mind all thought
Of the fair girl in Ingilch who loves him;
and of the father whom, he came 10
help; how the heart of the Queen-witch
retained the magic power ii has always
held. 1t has been many times lost and
found. buried by priests or women and
sought for by those it held enslaved.
II was because / wished TO get il away
speedily, before il did its mischief, that
1 struck the Effendi. i could have
overcome him with the drug, as later l
did the young master and all who lay
in the tents, but first il was necessary
TO travel many days and nights to pro-
cure it from the holy hermit of the an
cient Memphite faith, and I was 10th
to wait 30 long"
"But why, instead Of clubbing me on
the head and nearly killing me, didn't
you tell me about the stone?" asked
rather apgrily.
"Would the Effendi have believed?
He knows that he would not. He but
half believes. even now. If i had told
my tale TO him at first, he would have
hardened his heart and clung to the
wicked stone out Of wilfulness. For
such is ever the way of the Frank. Tho
Effendi himself might have escaped its
magic. for he is no longer young. But
would not that it should work such
misery among his people as it has among
mine. Now. no man knoweth its hid
ing place save myself"
''And lock cut that you don't go dig
eing it up Yourself. Ali Hasan," said NV
son, shaking a warning finger at the
desert dweller.
Another thing, Oh son of Hasan,"
I added. ut will be impossible for me
10 tell this story 10 the authors, or in
deed any other which will cause them to
cease regarding you as n criminal You
are likely 10 be arrested IL you ever
show your face in lower Egypt. Per-
NIT me to make provision for your old
age, so that you may live without
anxiety"
"The Effendi knows" replied All
Hasan, calmly and proudly, that what
has been done has been done for love
and what must be suffered shall be suf-
fered for love. There shall be no talk
of payment between him and the son
of Hasan."
And so we left him. I never looked
upon his face again.
Mrs. Arthur Beswick is n fine young
woman, of the sort that was best bred in
Britain. always think, in the days when
l was a young man--4tall and straight
and proud, and kind with kindness
that does not make one like me feel
either so old or helpless or so foolish
as in his heart he knows he must be,
but is rather like frank good fellowship. |
They came to Egypt, my son and my |
in the spring after the things |
about which have been telling you, and |
since then nothing has happened for !
six years. l don't suppose that in all |
that time in our English home l had |
thought twice of the heart of Ameni- |
ritis or that I would have thought or |
written OF il now, but that yesterday, |
as l sat reading my Egyptian paper,
with specs on nose and grandchild |
on each knee 10 take care of me, my
eyes fell on this paragraph:
"a STRANGE CRIME RECALLED
Our readers, who have been some years |
In Egypt, will recall the felonious as
sault made in 1sS- upon Beswick Bey, |
tho engineer, by one Ali Hasan, who
was never tried for his crime, and whose
motive, IL not insanity, has never been
ascertained. That this Ali will now
never be punished Ivy the hand of man is
certain, as he is gone before n Higher
Court. He was found last Tuesday with
bis throat cut. under circumstances al
most proving suicide. in a low native
quarter Of Cairo. In his right hand n
curious dark stone scarab or amulet was
so tightly grasped that IL was buried
with him
"Oh. Arthur" I cried And rs Hon.
Arthur Beswicls. 4. NJ and NJ. p. (nnd
other titles and initials that / forget)
came 10 me, / handed him the paper
without a word
Tie must certainly have been in
sane said my son. as be finished read
ing the account.
But neither he nor I said aught 90
Helen Beswicl, Of the heart of the Queen
witch Atnrufrttf.