The Washington times., 1904-04-24

officials there, and were robbed of prac-
ticaIiy the whole estate. Some of their
friends tried to save a little from the
wreck, but matters were approaching
a climax and they were warned to mind
their own business. You know people
may have every confidence that their
national war ships will eventually ap-
pear in the harbor and shell the town
in their defense but-suppose they
shouldn't appear in time? See?
IT believe Mrs. Evans did manage to
save London bills amounting to eight
hundred pounds or so. and she left, with
Miss Amy for H. It's home in Erzerum
They hadn't been there two weeks when
that section of the country got red hot.
and it became a question of getting
back to the consulate in STEAMBOAT. If
they could. Grattan Pasha-you've seen
his name in Central News dispatches,
as leader of the Young Turkey move
ment-happened to be in Erzerum at the
time, and as Sam had been an old
friend. offered the ladies his protection
if they were willing TO pass as members
Of his harem. They were only too glad
of the chance and went down to Trebi-
Zond with two other ladies. supposed to
be also of Grattan's household. But the
nervous strain was FOO much for Mrs.
Evans-I think she drank some of the
water up country too-and she died at
sea before the ship reached STEAMBOAT.
This left Miss Amy alone in the
world and at the mercy of Mustafa
Bey. a Smyrna official. who had seen
her in Paris, as it would have been i'm
g. L l.
house. and had sworn to obtain possess
sion Of her. He tried twice to abduct
her after Sans death. but in some
miraculous way she escaped. When the
girl returned to STEAMBOAT. Mustafa told
the Sultan that she had been betrothed
to him by her father, and Grattan
Pasha had to marry her himself to set
tie the matter
What, Do you mean to tell me that
she is actually the wife of a Turk?"
mo. not quite so bad as that. So
far as I've been able to find out-that
is, up to three weeks ago-Grattan
merely went through the usual Turkish
ceremony, and then sent Miss Evans
to some suburban konak, where she
would De safe until he could get her
CGN VI 1AAC NOAAllAyr OuL ne mas never
visited her except in the way of a
friendly call. Then Grattan Pasha isn't
a Turk at all He is one Of our own
countrymen who has risen rapidly in
power He f1nanciered a loan which
made the Sultan his bosom friend, and
is so strongly in favor of enforcing old
Midhats constitution that the Reform
party consider him their strongest hope
short of a revolution. AS a matter of
fact, however, he is playing a game
which beats chess all hollow. The
slightest mistake means death to him
possibly the Acknowledgement of the
Turkish Empire. And the dismember-
ment of the Turkish Empire means a
European war. I'm afraid the fate of
one friendless girl is too small a pawn
upon the great board; the worst of it
is, her case is only one of hundreds"
But surely, with your evident ac-
quaintance in STEAMBOAT and my own
knowledge of the place. we should be
able to find where Grattan is keeping
her. Hang it all, Brown. you wouldn't
leave the poor girl without making an
effort to save her, would your"
Certainly not. provided such an eff
fort were not sure to fail and make her
position ten times worse. Unmention-
able things sometimes happen in Tur-
key. I've been worried more than /
can tell you about Miss Evans, but it
would be useless for me TO make any
attempt alone-I am too well known,
too likely to be watched"
well, what do you suggest?"
"Hm-m-m-m-are you willing to risk
your life in an affair of this kind? It's
no FOOLS job to trace the young lady
and get her safely out Of the country.
why, I suppose so. think a great
deal of Miss Evans. The fact isl
couldn't stay in Algiers after reading
those dispatches. STILL I'm not much of
a hghter-oh, shucks, Brown. guess
you're trying to scare me a little. I've
been in some scrapes and come out
again all right With that crowd Of
war ships at Salonika, tin be mighty
queer if we can't put an American girl
on some homeward bound steamer"
Don't be too sure OF that; and don't
mention either this matter or Turkish
politics again until I tell you it's safe
to do So"
Somehow I felt that Browns warn
ing was not an idle one and avoided
the subject during the balance of the
week. The Sea of Marmora was thick
with fog when we steamed out of the
Dardanelles. and in an hour more the
air was filled with snow. AS we ap-
preached the Princes Isles. however.
II began to clear, and entering the Bos-
phorus we had a most enchanting view
of the city.
Since Missiri's old Hotel d'Angle-
terre ran down so badly I had usually
made the Byzance my headquarters in
Pera, but Brown recommended a new
place further up the Grande Rue, and
we drove there instead. There were a
dozen private houses in which we would
have been welcome. but our being at a
hotel seemed less likely to attract at
tention.
Brown had mentioned being inter-
ested in Batoum oil, so I was not sur
prised 10 see him drive of next morn
ing with three dignifed old Turks,
whom took to be brokers, in spite of
the snowy uniform worn by one of
them-nearly every official in the en-
pire Speculates in something whether