The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-01-15
(Chapter Il.

(Chapter IL
The Basha tine Governor) and his jew
ish secretary came along, talking together
as they walked. "Thus and thus 1t IS
EVERYWHERE said the Jew. Yet half
suspect the mailman has more friends
than show themselves. At that momenG
his eve fell on the merchants Now old
Booker, there, his uncle, and those mer
chants from Tadla--"
'sSound them. Jonas; I should love to
know saidtthe Basha.
Jonas saluted Booker with vast respect.
'sPeaceI'
.tPeacer' answered Booker.
'sThe market-place today has been u TX;
q fair waiting for it's buffoon, hash { lts
said the jew. "Pity time honorea
family like that of this fine Mahdi should
he turned to rldicule by the many ,doings
of one of it's members. We should Drive
the man out. Karbary could spare MIN.
What, do you say, Boobkerr
The old merchant looked at Ghe Je"
sideways and answered contemptuously
II sayiridicule is a sword without hlit,
wounding only the hand that .wields 1t,
and that Barbsry could spare something
much better than the Mahdi
land what's that?1 said Jonas, 1nno-
Gently. "a +lo,o
two hundred years. said the merchant.
In 8 moment Jonas had drawn his
knife. "Insolent beggarF' he cried.
DOG p cried Booker.
They were closing to fight when new
conner stepped between them; He was 9
and pdH rich 1 dressed. His name was Omar
Benani. "StopP' he cried. Whatever
Barbary eould spare, one thing she-wants.
and that Is a man who can make herkmen
agree. Put up your knives before the
Basha. If the Jew is the ieper, the Arab
is the plague.
big house he said. significantly, Pity
vour-JeWish mistress didn't hear that
word, Omar Benani! y
With that and parting look at the
Jew, the old merchant went OH, followed
by his friends from Tadia.
"He was not always saint, you say,
this Mahdi?" said the Basha.
ALWAYS p cried Jonas, both hands up.
"I,ike many another saint he has come to
his saintship through sin. And this, he
added. pointing to the big house, is the
very scene of his transilguration.
esThis?n said the Basha.
'sThat.'' said the Jew. twas the house
of Isaac Laredo; one OF my own people.
He died before you came to Fee; He was
killed. Rurnor whispered that this Mahdi
killed him."
Omar had been standing by, and he
said, impatiently, THAT'S only an oIo
the Bashap' .
sGently, young man, gently" said the
Omar turned aside and walked up and
down restlessly, as if trying not to near
what was being said, yet unable TO tear
himself away.
Isaac had a daughter" said Jonas
fsHe was rich and she was beautiful. So
certain of your Moorish young bloods
overcame their dread of doing i'll IN the
next world in the hope of doing well In
this one.'
Muslinls nay court to the rich Jewess?"
Isaac would have none OF them. He
turned them all from his door. One
NIGHT. - said Jonas solemnly, Nhe was
found dead in his room, and the last man
known to see him there was a certain
poor sTaleb, the favorite suitor of Rachel
-Mohammed Adder -RahInan."
Omar stopped. "Who knows he was
tie last2'' he said
Rachel herself admitted" said Jonas.
'sAnd what did my. predecessor dor
asked the Basha.
Nothing" said Jonas.
'tAna SO ent of remorse the murderer
became a saint--is that it?' sa1d the
Basha.
land turned his back on Rachel, said
Jonas, and then they laughed together
'sDon't heed the old wife's oroak, lord
RaSha,' said omar. 1sesdC 11etTouo 10
dead. So much the better, whoever killed
him"
The laughter in the7lane came again,
more loudly than before.
Hes coming" said the Basha. "This
madness must not spread. Watch him,
listen to him closely, bring me- word OF
what he says Has Otba arrlVgo9
ssHe has lord Bashs," said Jonas
"Good! Murderer or no murderer. we
nust scour the yermini out of Fee. Then
this upstart Mahdi, this champion OF the
Door. this liberator of women, this greater
than Moses, this Messiah, this Star that
is to rise when the sun of the Sultan has
set"
Jonas heard no more. The Basha' s
voice was lost in the noise of great con-
course of people who were running into
thezmsrket-place The Mahdi WAS COM
ing from the mountains to preach in the
streets.
Chapter III.
He was a largo man of middle age, and
he wore the sheepskin jellab of noun
taineer. Walking slowly, firmly, reso-
lutely, he came onsin the midst of an
uproafious crowd that jeered at him at
RYery step. He did not shrink, he showed
no fear. the derision of the people did not
touch him. Only his dark eyes flashed
under his white turban and the hand that
held his long staff trembled visibly.
In front of him, and stepping back
wards before him in mock obeisance,
walked pert little man in the scarlet
soolham OF an Eastern dandy, twanging