The Portland daily press., 1898-01-28
Chapter " Continued.

In the torrent of his anger he laid hold
of Omar by both shoulders. $40 your
knees 70 he cried and forced him down.
Omar made no resistance. master, my
lord,'' he cried, least me down to the
place from which you raised me, but let
me live-let me live to rensw my trust.
"You have lived too long already.
"Giye ME one month"
81 gave you twelve "
zone week-one day p
s'Too late' cried the Mahdi and he
drew his sword. "Die, adulterer!'
at that word Omar sprang to his feet
with terri le passion 'Adulterer u ne
cried; "kill me by what other name you
will. but adulterer, no.
The Mahdi paused. HWin you damn
your soul as well?'' he said. "Dare you
deny it at the judgement?''
"Send me there, cried Omar, "and as
sure as the Lord lives I will witness
against you.
The Mahdi's sword dropped in his hand
and the point dragged on the ground.
"Omar you never lied tosme-neVer. BUT
the very snare you have fallen into wit
nesses against you," he said.
81 have fallen into no snare" said
Omar. my eyes were open when L
walked into it,
"Whatp''
sit is the TRUTH said Omar "You
have torn it from me. but it is the tru a. -
"You knew that treachery was afoot?''
Omar bowed his head. 81 knew that
treachery was afoot
tAnd that 1t was meant for me!
nAnd that it was meant for you.
"Kncwing that, you took my placer
knowing that I took your place.
s'Having no hope of the succession or
of-her?"
"Having no hope of the succession or
of her."
ssGoing to my death that you might
The Mahdi seemed to gasp. so God !
he muttered. "I grow dizzy. The dark
ness comes again. My strength fails me.
My knees can scarcely bear me up. WIN
a great struggle to restrain himself he
dropped to his knees at Oman IS feet. %,
forgive.me, forgive mel'' he cried.
Omar raised him up. "Nay, master,
he said. cit is for you to forgive. I could
not command my heart, but l am your
servant still.
Mahdi HYet your innocence only makes
her quilt the blacker. She shall confess
if before YOU" He was stepping towards
the mouth of the tent when Omar inter-
posed.
s'Wait! She has done me no wrong. 1t
is I who have injured her.
L
Don't ask me to read them, they are
the story of my crime"
'sCrime! /"
"She knows the truth at last" said
Omar. 81 confessed it to her ut Tadla-
1t was I who killed her father"
'sKilled her father" repeated the
Mahdi.
Omar's face was down. est was on
the night / was thrown into prison for
debt. 7 asked the old Jew for the money.
He refused, and turned me out OF the
house. 1 went back mad with rage and
drunk with wine. He struck me: L
struck back-and-I know no more. You
had Just left him, and she thought-she
concluded"
ror. sMerciful Allah !" he cried. "Was
this what she tried to tell me?"
tit was my secret" said Omar. siShe
could not tell you. Forgive her, Mahdi.
All she did was done in blindness. Her
punishment is sore. She took her revenge
out of Gods hands, and see God has
avenged Himself as the Avenger. Now
The Mahdi paused; then with great
emotion he called again, "Raohel!
RachelP'
HBrother." answered the woman who
came from the tent. 1t was Fatlma
Booker was with her.
HFati1nnp' exclaimed the Mahdi.
tShe tainted, and has just recovered
said Booker.
HThen who is it that has gone into
Fez?'
Thew looked into each others faces.
"Have the soldiers Gomez" said Boob
~Yes and gone,'' said the Mahdi.
"Was it woman who went W tn themP''
$50 they said"
"Was it-Rachel?" said Omar.
where did you leave her?'' asked the
Mahdi.
Here with the child. - said Booker.
"Hosein! Hoseinl' called Fatima, but
there was no answer
DIT must have been she-Rachel, my
wife. nv love p cried the Mahdi.
The sky to the northeast was tighten
ing. A long, low wall came out OF the
distance. It was the voice Of the Mooddin
from beyond the city walls, "God is
great.
Assd came up with an anxious face.
"Mahdi," he said, "the camp is stirring
and there is disaffection everywhere. The
rumor goes that We are betrayed, ana That
you know the betrayer u4e w,.4o,,
'FW hat am I to sayf Wha6! mhabf
muttered the Mahdi.
Larhv came I'D hurriedly. "Mahdi,"
he cried 1.-THE people are demanding the
life of the betrayer; where is her
"Where, Rachel where? In my own
heart-in my oWn DoSo1n.
There we're deep murmurs from the
tents. A company of soldiers came up to
"Mahdi," said one of the soldiers,
what of the promises you made us
year agoP"
lead US into this trap?" said another.
"We have been fooled, said third.
Others shouted "The traitor! The
traitOrt Give him VI -
"Silence, ingratesp' cried Omar.
The soldiers returned from Fez. They
al come back for their prisoner.
He shall not CO." cried the Mahdi:
Remember Rachel and little Rosein,"
said Omar.
GOD lead me God give me light"
cried the Mahdi.
"Within the hour-that was the word
dead or alive" said one of the soldiers
"Then,' said the Mahdi, passionately,
the shall go back alive, and I will go
with him.
"And Ii'' cried Booker.
"And Ir' "And Ip' "And II' cried
many voices at once. At that moment
Asma was seen to approach the Mahdi.