The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-01-21
Chapter III.

Chapter LII.
Tho Mahdis house looked onto the
Mosque. Through an open colonnade tne
sninarets could be seen. Between these
Nan O narrow lane. 1t was SILL carry
morning, and somewhere below q camel
driver was singing song OF the desert:
ssCamel driver, camel driver,
Now whittier away?
sTis the eye of the morning,
The dawn Of the day"
Rachel now wife of the Mahdi, was
sitting at work on q mattress covered
stHarkp' she thought. "Omar' S camel
drivers, Then he must be BACK from
Fee.
"Camel driver, camel driver,
Nay, why roll your tent!
My spirit is wounded,
NV heart is rent.
A child's voice came up from the lane
calling "RacheI! RACHEL"
Rachel stepped to the colonnade and
waved her handkerchief. "Hoseinl little
Hosein! Come up, come up, 6ne caliea.
1.-THE dear little mani! she thought.
sThe bright, brave little heart-a man.
soul in2a baby bodyl He is not watcn-
ing me and spying on me, ana , qsGge, Ing
own maid Asma, like BOOKER, like eve
rybody except the Mahdi-everybody, eve,
rybody, except him who has most cause.
There was the patter of little feet out.
side, and at the next moment Doy OF
seven, dressed in the little blue Jellab OF
the Country, burst into the room, anu
flew into RaohePs arms.
ssHoseini' she said on her knees beside
the boy. "What q sunny little man 1t is.
A hob. skip and jump OF sunlight IN
a dark placei What cheeks, what rosesl
But the boy was bursting with great
news. "Rachel-" he began.
"But-but-hut" said haonel, your e
me? You are? Come then. No?'-pre
tending mocesty-"Nay then, must put
M NV veil when men come to see me.
FsListen," said Hosein, kissing Rachel
and then blurting out his news, "oniy
think-we're to go back to Fez!"
.Fezr' said Rachel, rising suddenly
She was serious now: ia ~
"There's 70 be pilgrimage, SAID me
boy. 1.-THE Mahdi said so at the gate this
morning"
s'Teli me, stell me T.
news
sstAnd has hes"
Eyes, 80 We are all to co. said Hose,
in. ciappins his hands. " Mother, and
You. and Asma, and everybody. You
and mother will be in litters, but am
to be. soldier and ride with Omar. :
With that be strutted about the room.
what great, great news, SAD
Rachel, "and what soldier you'H DC
when YOU come back. :,
"Yes, you'll have to put up your ven
then, Will You not?' said Hosein. "Just
as yousfi6 for Omar, ehf"
Rachsl caught her breath at that name,
but recovering herself she said, 'Ah,
you'll NOT have much time for us poor
women after that. >.
ssSoidiers never have--look at Omar. -
said the little man. Then he went on
with the order of march. "Omar will
be in front, and IN be behind him" He
began too act it. TSee, I'm show you.
That's Fez," fixing pillow in position
on the floor. '1Tm Omar, and you are
Hosein. This is my sword, catching
no fan and shouldsring it-"and that
yours, giving her another fan-"noW,
One, two, three"
The small recruit began to march about
the room, and Rachel followed him,
laughing and keeping time to his tiny
footsteps. The camel driver was still
singing somewhere below, and the mimic
MARCH was proceeding when gmal
stepped in by the colonfade. Rachel saw
him and said, tRun, Hosein, run, OF
your 1notherswill be seeking you. Hun,
dearest rum" and hustled the boy out.