Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-05-02
DAILY. STORY Y.
lOriginaI.]


| meet there whom l had ever known
| before. That was Mehmet Pasf1a. who
| had been attached to the Turkish lega-
| ton at Washington. Mehmet was In
| Constantinople, and there | met him.
L had entertained him in America and
was received by him with open arms in
! Turkey. He made me familiar with
| what l could do in that peculiar coun-
| try and what L could not do. He told
| me that Constantirople was full of
| women who secretly rebelled against
| the tyrannical method of their lives.
| Some OF them were very reckless, and
even the frightful punishment if caught
could not deter them from II natural
desire for the society of the opposite
sex.
His warning should have been Suf-
ficient but il was not. | had not been
in ConStantinople twelve hours when
l passed woman in the street borne
| on litter who partly uncovered her
face and smiled at me. Being human.
| returned the smile. Not only that;
| turned and followed the litter. The
woman looked back, Notwithstanding
that the man who bore the rear of the
lie did not apparently pay any atten-
ton. keeping his face steadily to the
front followed them 10 Il park.
where the litter WAS set down. and the
rear bearer came to me and pronounced
the name of certain bridge and the
words - O'Clock" | fancy this was
all the English he knew. Then he re-
turned 10 his post. the litter went on,
and | turned in the opposite direction.
Now. L had not the slightest inten-
ton of Keeping an appointment, but l
kept thinking of that smile and Il pair
of black eyes all day. and when even
ing came concluded to stroll 10 the
bridge to see what would happen. l
was leaning over the rail, looking at
the water, when | felt tap on my
shoulder and, turning, saw the litter
bearer walking away from me. I'm
PEELED TO follow the adventure farther,
| started after him, keeping him i'll
sight till he stopped at Il rear door to
Il heavily walled garden. BY this time
the spirit of adventure possessed me,
and when he disappeared through the
door l followed him.
The garden was dark. and l was
obliged TO keep close TO my guide to
see him. He led me into an equally
dark passageway and, opening a door,
motioned me to enter an apartment
dimly lighted l did so. and he closed
the door behind me without entering
himself. locking it and withdrawn
the key. In another moment from be
hind Il curtain my charmer stepped
forth.
I'll, {.,1li
that her litter bearers were both in her
pay and were that moment OH guard
TO warn us of the approach of danger.
We chatted pleasantly about many
things. aud ii was clear 10 me that her
object in sending for me was simply a
craving for IL society which the customs
of her country deprived her. Indeed,
her manner toward me was as chaste
as If we had not met in such a clandeS-
tine manner Her husband, she told
me. was Il good man, but he had many
wives. and she saw very little OF him.
I spent two very pleasant hours with
her and was engaged In an interested
chat when suddenly Il clock struck the
hour of IL. The lady paled. l, seeing
that something was wrong, looked at
her with eager inquiry.
Every egress from the house is
locked at H." she said. II relied on
the man who brought you here to come
for you in time For once he has failed
me-
AS she spoke the man hastily opened
the door.
Quick Mahmoud," she exclaimed.
What do you mean by being too late?"
Il slept he said.
Pressing my lady's hand fervently I
which | had entered.
The exit was locked. MY guide look
ed frightened.
There Is no way TO get out of the
house" he said. The keeper OF the keys
alone can help us, but he will mott
Not even for money!"
Yes, for money"
II have only q little silver with me,
but I will pay tomorrow
stay here he said, thrusting me
into a dark corner II will go and see"
He soon returned, saying that the
keeper of the keys would let me out |
for an equivalent in Turkish money |
of $1,000. i declined to pay it. where |
upon my guide informed me that,in the |
/ would be discovered and no |
one outside of the horse would ever |
see me again. Besides, his mistress
would be compromised. TheniI offered |
to pay; but, not having the money with |
me. j was compelled to stay where |
was while my guide went for 1t.
gave him note to Mehmet Pasha,
who, not being able to raise SO much
money at that time of night sent q |
jewel worth twice the amount instead
This received and delivered the door
was opened, and 1 took my departure,
4 sadder and a wiser man.
/ went directly TO Mehmet, declaring
that the whole scheme was plan to
rob me, and / would report 1t to the
police.
Not SO fast" he said Tell me