The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-12

Wl GNS CyWT0
the attack that ended In the splllng Of
Christian blood. IL the sultan should pay
twenty thousand dollars 10 the Minister for
America al Tangier for the life Of this dead
dog whom We have gruoDed into the eartn
in a garden; If the Basf1s CT Fee should
have to pay forty thousand dollars 10 the
sultan. Ii the people should have to pay
eighty thouss nd dollars 10 the Basaa. then.
you. Iafby, you in your turn viii have 70
pay with your life 10 the people. Il - your
life against the life Of the Christian. So
follow him. watch him, silence him, he
knows your secret-away.
Such was my notion of what had hap
pened at the kasbeh Of Fec after l had
passed the gates OF the city. II was a wild
sision. but TO my dstempered imagination
II seemed TO be a plausible theory And
now. Larby. the spy upon the American,
Iarby, my assSassin-elect. Larby, who to
save his own iife must take mine. Larby
was with me. was beside me. was behind
me constantly.
What was / to do? Open my heart to
Iarby, tell him 1t was a blunder; that l
meant no man mischief; that 1 was mere
ly Fastening back to my sick boy who
was dying for want OF me? That was
impossible: Larby would laugh in my
face and still follow me. Bride him?
That was useless; Larhy would take my
money and make the surer OF his victim.
1t was difficult problem. but at length
hit on solution. Father, you will
pity me for fool when you hear it,
/ would bargain with Larby as Faust
bargained with the devil. He should
give me two weeks of life, and come with
me to England. I should do my work
here. and I.arby should never leave my
side. Mr. boys life should be saved by
that operation which ! alone knew how
TO perform. After that Larby and l
should square accounts together. He
should have all the money / had in the
world, and the passport of my name and
influence for his return to his own coun-
try. / should write a confession of sui
eide. and then-then--only then--at home
here In my own room-Larby should kill
me in order TO satisfy his own secret. and
the secret of his people must be safe for
ever.
1t was mad dream. but what dream
of dear life Is not mad. that comes 10 the
man whom death dogs like a bloodhound?
And mad as 1t was tried TO make 1t come
true. The man was constantly near me.
and on the third morning OF our journey
drew up sharply and said:
''Larhy.'
''Sidi." he answered.
Would you not like to 60 on with me
to Engiaud?'
He looked at me with his glittering eyes,
and 1 gave an involuntary shIver. I had
awakened the mans suspicious In an In
slant. He thought l meant to entrap
him. He only smiled knowingly. shrugged
his shoulders and answered civilly. II
have my shop In the Sok de Barra, Sidi
And then there are my wives and my
sons and my little Hoolia-God be praised
for all his blessings
"Hoolia?" ] asked.
MY little daughter, Sldi."
How old is she?'
"Six. Sidi. only six. but as fair as an
angel"
II dare say she misses you when you
are away. Larby." I said.
You have truth, Sldi She sits In the
Sok by the tents of the hrass-workers
and plaits rushes all day long. and looks
over to where the camels come by the
Saints houses on the hill. and waits and
Watches
child at home who Is waiting and watch
ing. a boy. my little Noel six years of
age, just as old as your own little Hoolla.
And so bright, so winsome. But he Is Ill.
he Is dying, and he is all the world to
me. Larby, ! am surgeon, / am a doc
tor. and II | could but reach England"
1t was worse than useless. | stopped,
for could go no further The cold gilt
ter OF the mans eyes passed over me like
frost over flame. and / knew his thought
as well II he had spoken II. II have
heard that story BEFORE" he was telling
him. Il have heard 1t at the kasbah. and
Ii Is lie and a trick"
My plan was folly and I abandoned It:
but / was more than ever convinced of my
theory. This man was following me to kill
me. lie was waiting an opportunity to do
his work safely. secretly and effectually
His rulers would shield him in his crime
for by that time they would themselves be
shielded.
Father. my theory like my plan was
foolshness. Only mailman would have
dreamt of concealing crime whereof
there was but ore witness. by a second
crime whereof the witnesses must have
been 90. The American had Travelled in dis
guise and cut of the trace OF his identity
10 all men save myself. When he died at
the hands of the fanatics whose faith he
had outraged, | alone OF all Christians
knew that II was Christian blood that had
stained the streets OK Feg. But how diff
ferent my own death must have been. I
had Travelled openly az q Christian and an
Englishman. At the consulate OF Tangfer
WAS known by name and repufe and at
that OF FEC | had registered myself Nv
presence had been notified at every town
had passed through, and the men of nv
caravan would not have dared TO return
10 their homes without me. In the case OF
the murder OF the American the chances
TO tho Moorish authorities OF claim for IN
derunity were as one to FIVE hundred. In
the case OF The Ike catastrophe 10 myself
they must have been as FIVE hundred 20
ore. Thus. IN spite OF fanst!clSnn and the
iner3dtcabie hatred OF the Moslena for the
Nazarene, Morocco To ne. az to all Chris
tian travellers, travelling openly and hehav-
ing properly, WAS as safe q place as Eng
land itself,
wise ana foolish In a moment I was IN
TO humor- TO pat the matter 20 myself
temporarily. ard though had been 80
cool as 20 persuade myself that the author.
7gtes whom / had hr1hed could not have
been nlsauen enough 10 think that they
could conceal the murder % the sy7ar;-
car Nv numbering me yes must have "a.
snsined convinced that Iarby himself Was
such a uAdw&n.
As surgeon had soa1e knowledge of
madness and the cold clear. xtee1Iv rtf.-
ter 81 thu mas eyes when he locked a.
RE was thing taat coalA no: mistake,
had seen Il before ia Religious no1n-
mansacs. II Is an iuf8Ijhte ans fatal ete,
With ;hai light n the eyns. Ike rha gs..,a
of dagger, men VII kill the wivss they
lave and women Will slaughter The ch :
Gren % their bosom When / saw Il in
T44rhv I shivereA With a chHly rrs-safs.4-
susuf. It seemed - SAY that I SHOULD srs
say home 10 more. I AkYa sees Eay hosna
once more, I au back "a ENGLAND. ! am
here but
Father am 7 telling yen again. s.8
axasnT That hour comes back and back.
How lorg VII il aAant rase How loys,
For ever and ever WAea slrne To- rse "a
swallowed up in eternity. eternity WI Re
swallowed Up IN TIE measoEy %: that hour.