The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-02-22


Thy sons Thou art merciful; Thou has
raised up the holy prophet promised to
the faithful for thirteen centuries past.
He hath appeared ia the midst Of the
darkness. His name is the Mahdi Cthe
sublime oneD."
4 hattering murmur greeted these
words
i behold thee. o Mahdi. on the field
of battle. Thy march is swifter than
the night of the falcon. one town after
another falls into thy hands; the van
quished kiss thy sacred feet in vain, for
thou art implacable and doomest all to
perish. Hicks Pasha commanded the
armies Of the Khedive, and led them
against thee. Hearken, children of the
tribe of Cherofa, to what Allah. the ex-
terminator. has done for you! He has
sent the Mahdi to Kashgil. and all the
unbelievers have persisted, Not enc has
returned OF the eleven thousand men!
i. the unworthy servant Of the Mahdi.
have summoned ycu to tell you that the
hour approaches. But we must await
the signal. which cannot be long in com
Ing. And above all, brethren, let US
thank Allah for his goodness"
The Arabs resumed the attitude Of
Mussulman prayer. and MabrouN
thought it a propitious moment to creep
off He FASTENED 10 inform Norbert Of
what he had heard
At first it seemed difficult to believe
in the complete determination of the
Egyptian army commanded by Hicks
Pasha But it was a bad sign that II
should have given no evidence OF life
and have been utterly silent since the
departure for the south two months
back
Soon it was no longer possible to
doubt the truth of the catastrophe. Eye
witnesses testified to It. The news was
brought by camel drivers and merchants
from Kordofan. and no one doubted it
at Berber Norbert himself heard it
from the lips Of a workman recently
employed in the wool yard who had seen
the plain OF KashgiI covered a month
previously with the decapitated cOrpses
of the Egyptian army The rifles, guns,
and ammunition we're all in the posses
sion OF the MahdI.
Norbert. however, would not despair.
He had so often in the past year heard
these bad forebodings. Would he ever,
indeed. have embarked on the enter
prise had he listened TO what was told
him at Suakim?
One morning Wagner, Gryphins, and
vogeI asked to have an interview with
him in the presence also OF Sir Buce-
phalus.
Wagner. on entering, held out blue
paper to Norbert, saying: This is the
news brought us from Berber with the
last load OF goods"
Norbert read as follows:
The Egyptian army carrying on oPer-
ations to the south Of suakim has been
completely routed at Tokar by Osman
Digma. a Lieutenant OF the Mahdi. The
suakim- Gerber route is now in the pos
session of the insurgents
1T is disastrous" said Norbert; but
the Nile route is still free"
Yes" answered Wagner in a signif-
cant tone. and all who value their lives
had best follow that route at once"
Have you come to announce your ap-
preaching Departure calmly replied
Norbert
Our own departure. and yours also, l
presume" said Wagner. for surely you
cannot now think Of going on with the
enterprise"
why should you make such an as
sumption. pray
Because If you do not at once give
it ND the workmen will stop it tomor-
row. DO you not know what is being
said on all sides-in camp. in the tents.
and workshops? That we are all to be
massacred at a given signal"
If you think it right to go. gentle
men" cried Norbert. prey do so.
cannot keep you by force, and ] should
even make it my business 10 facilitate
your departure"
You know well enough that we can
not leave the interests OF the company
IN your hands" muttered Wagner
In that case. gentlemen replied
Norbert. coIdIy. rising to intimate that
the Interview was at an end. Il can only
trust that you may turn out false
prophets. For my part. do not intend
10 move"
CHAPTER XIV