, 1905-12-20

party was leaving the heat of Egypt
n finding 1t not half bad. New
York was not more than a month
away as Brewster reckoned time and
distance, and there was still too much
money in the treasury. As September
drew nearer he got into the habit
of frequently forgetting S~wearengen
Jones until it was too late to retrace
his steps. He was coming to the
death struggle" as he termed it, and
there was something rather terroriz-
ing in the fear that 1.-The million might
die hard" And SO these last days and
nights were glorious ones, if II could
have looked at them with unbiased,
~untroubled eyes. But every member
Of his party was praying for the day
when the Filter would be well into
the broad Atlantic and the worst over.
At Alexandria Brewster had letters to
some Englishmen and in the few en-
tertainments that he gave succeeded
once again in fairly outdoing Aladdin.
A sheik from the interior was a
guest at one of Monty's entertain
ments. He was a burly, hot blooded
fellow, with a densely populated
harem, and he had been invited more
as a curiosity than as n to be hon
ored. AS he came aboard the Filter
Monty believed the invitation was
more than justified. Mohammed was
superb, and the women of the party
made so much of him that it was small
wonder that his head was turned. He
fell desperately in love with Peggy
Gray on sight, and with all the COM
posture of a potentate who has never
been crossed he sent for Brewster the
next day and told him to send her
around and he would marry her.
Monty's blood boiled furiously for a
minute or two, but he was quick to see
the wisdom of treating the proposition
automatically. He tried to make it
plain to the sheik that Miss Gray
could not accept the honor he wished
to confer Upon her, but it was not Mo
hammed's custom to be denied any
thing he asked for, especially anything
feminine. He complacently announced
that he would come aboard that after
Don and talk it owe with Peggy.
Brewster looked the swarthy gentle
man over with unconcealed disgust in
his Y The mere thought of this
ugly brute so much as touching the
hand of little Peggy Gray filled him
with horror, and yet there was some
thing laughable in the situation. He
could not hide the smile that came with
the mind picture of Peggy listening to
the avowal of the sheik. The Arab
misinterpreted this exhibition of mirth.
To linn the grin indicated friendship
and encouragement. He wanted to
give Brewster a ring as a pledge Of
affection, but the American declined
the Offering and also refused to carry a
bag of jewels to Peggy.
"Ill let the old boy come aboard just
to see Peggy look a hole through him.
he resolved. mo matter how obnox-
ious it may be, it isn't every girl who
can say an oriental potentate has ask
ed her to marry him. II this camel
herder gets disagreeable we may tum-
BILE him into the sea for a change"
With the best grace possible he in
vited the sheik to come aboard and
consult Miss Gray in person. Moham-
med was a good bit puzzled over the
intimation that it would be necessary
for him to plead for anything he had
expressed Il desire to possess. Brew
ster confided the news to Rip Van
Wrinkle and Subway Smith, who had
gone ashore with him, and the trio
agreed that it would be good sport
to let the royal proposal come as a sur
prise to Peggy. Van Wrinkle returned
to the yacht at once, but his compan-
ions stayed ashore to do some shop
ping. When they approached the Fit
ter later on they observed an unusual
commotion on deck.
Mohammed had not tarried long aft
err their departure. He gathered his
train together, selected a few costly
presents that had been returned from
the harem and advanced on h boat
without delay. The captain of the Fit
ter stared long and hard at the gayly
bedecked launches and then called to
his first officer. Together they watched
the ceremonious approach. a couple of
brown faced heralds came aboard first
and announced the approach of the
mighty chief. Captain Perry went for
ward to greet the sheik as he came
over the side of the ship, but he was
brushed aside by the advance guards.
Half a hundred swarthy fellows crowd
ed aboard, and then came the sheik, the
personification of pomp and pride.
''Where is she?" he asked in his ma
tive tongue. The passengers were by
this time aware of the visitation and