The Washington times., 1904-10-23

] 10 AtDh AT the prisoner ANt attf4Ar4-
II come with orders from the MahdL '
/ Seats were brought for the dignitary
/ He put himself I'm am attitude of ease
! don, who was compelled 10 remain
/ standing, weighed down by his load of
/ chains.
/ 'inhuei. began thC kHalifah, there is
/ but one thing. and but oue that can
save your miserable life"
/ The prince bowed
/ EFT is needless to say what that is"
T he continued: thou kuowest"
I Bardon bowed again. speak" cried
/ he Mshdis ambassador, "kn0west not
/ that have power of life and death over
+ thee: ] can save or xiii thee al viii. %
/ and he tapped majasticaIly on his be-
jcWelCd breast
II know that"-the captive spoke iu a
I low, clear VO.ce-"aul 1 seek the latter
+ favor. To 1--we here in this misery and
. disgrace is worse than death. There
fore let me be killed quickly. Have this
; mercy upon me-"
The khaliIa eyed his pr5s0ner wonder
iuE'y. The manner ana words OF the
man inspired respect iu the barbarian
heart iu spite OF himself
. Come, la said and his voice soft
cned "a bit. thou shouldst be Ct our be-
lief. Thou speakcst like brave man.
4 IT IS sweet to- 1--we iu the faith. Yet
{ thou must die IL chou wiz not bow to
my VIII and the viii OF God"
( 81 do bov 80 the viii OF God-my
/ God, but tc no earthly power. Hasten
. and prepare the ak. / ann ready. ami
/ Bardon made shit 10 bare mis- neck.
+ The khaiifa rose and mis- voice thuu-
/ ccred with rage as 10 spoke
/ And thou dos refuse once and for
ell time 20 become Moslem-tO re-
/ nounce thy false reI.gi0n2
( 81 refuse 4 am n Christian, and b
. believe iH Christ. Could . but die, as
+ He did, for She tcue f8ith!' The prince
Z -lazpcd his hands together, ana looked
+ up 10 heaven i'm au ecstasy Of religious
+ bliss. Then he folded his arms aud
+ glanced at his caDt0r his whole atti-
1 Jude changed to stole GOODNESS
/ The representative of the Mahdi
/ turned away.
+ HE S. as iron" ne muttered, "but
I since we cannot bend him he VIII be
/ broken Then 10 the 5aiier:
/ Take the dog OF "a '5iasDhemer 20 the
/ execution ground So saying the
/ khalifa turned with dignity and went
/ forth 20 apprise his master of the facts
/ The poor prince was dragged along
lay the hideous relics Of yesterday s
/ massacre upon the sands. Here halt
was made 10 wait the return OF the
/ khalif8
] Round about the condemned man
/ crowded the masses. or. zed by the hope
/ of seeing the fatal blow struck on the
! inhdeI neck, and. white hot with zeal TO
/ be first 10 rush forward and battle 3D.
/ the blood Of a Christiau. which rite. ae-
/ cordiag 10 the Koran, would gain them
/ paradise at a single bound
/ Ezrdof waited patiently, not needing
/ the tsuats and blows Of the crowd. AT
\ last. 20 his own relief. he saw the kha-
/ lifa approaching again
Among the attendants If the Mahdi' 8
J messenger. the prince noted two follow
/ CTs bearing great scimiJers. He knew
/ their mission. one was "a huge black
[ who looked every inch an sEecuu0uer.
while the other was a slight fellow who
/ walked beside his stolid partner with a
/ nervous air
/ So intent upon these two men was
/ the Russian that. when the knalifa re-
] peated the MahdIs terms TO him, he
/ ignored the question. asking.
/ since I am about TO die. noble khGl-
/ ia. grant that this man may be- my
/ execurioner. he has ii true eye and a
] eNE-tH manu- ttaaHa 1--aHfft aa-7 a'sH'ff
I be sure and quick.
/ The huge negro stepped forward. The
( magistrate wished 10 make show of
( his authority, however. so he m0ti5ued
/ the fellow back with his drawn sworn.
/ i'Tue othcT!" he commanded savaEely. '
/ The prince perceived a lingering death
/ in the eyes Of the smaller headsman, for
/ the little fellow trembied as he APP
/ preached his victim and an ashy pallor
I oycrspUead his face
/ The khaIifa motioued TO Bardon and
/ ne advanced TO the edge of the slight
I decline and sank on his knees.
+ He Eazed out over 5he broad valley OF
/ the Nile before him. He saw the ruins
/ Of the city where Gordon was slain.
I And then he closed his eyes, and his
mind reverted toward the north where
/ dweIJ a mother who would wait iu vain
/ for his HON. coming. He thanked God
that she would never know how he died
Friends. too, be was leaving iu that
/ northland he loved SO much.
/ He asked "a prayer for those dear ones
/ la that home country and for his own
soul Then ne opened his eyes again
/ and turned his pale face To the eNecu-
| toner.
81 am ready. strIke-"
/ The headsmau stepped forward. He
! threw baCh MS Eluuvu from ms sWaILl4
I arms and grasped the hiIt of his mighty
sword with trembling hands. The
+ cleaning blade quivered for a moment
! En- the afr. and then
B The awful silence was pierced by "a
shrilI whistle and "a commanding cry.
The sciuiter flashed as 10 descended.
/ and stopped before 90 touched the wait
ing neck. The khalifa had suddenly
thrust his arm under both those of the
/ executioner and stayed the blow
/ He looked 10 the east ana exclaimed:
/ "Iisteu!"
/ The crowd heard a cry. "EI Mahdi.
/ FL Mahdi!'
( They turned their eyes i'm the direc-
/ tiou the khaufa was pointing. There.
/ before the MahdIs hut. q guard was
/ wildly waving q white flag
! In the meantime Bardon was suffer
Z ing a thousand deaths. He had waited
/ FOR the blow, and be started al the uu-
/ expected touch OF the magistrate S
/ hand on his shoulder. AS in q dream
| he heard the words: Arise. infdel
/ The Mahdi wishes TO see thee"