The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-05-06
Copyright 1904 by g. p. Putnam's sons.)

row streets were cool enough. Az hs
| left tile European heights Of Akra and
Idlved deep into the eastern central city,
the Wcll-remer1bcred scenes and smells
rose Tip like IL wall before HIN and the
rest or life.
lie began to walk moro slowly, In
harmony With the slow-moving forms
around. He had been to Oindurnnn with
tie nvcnGlng army knew Consthntlnople
during the Greek war--thc East had
meaning for him.
And MS the vcrlublc East closed round
him his doubts ana self -ridculc vanish-
cd His strange mission seemed possl-
1le here.
As he was passing one Of tho vast
ruined structures once belonging TO the
medieval knights OF ST. John, think
ittg indeed, that heJ himself was Il
vcrltable CRUSADER, IL thin inlportunate
voice cHfne to him from an angle Of the
stoncwork.
lie looked down niitl saw an old Nlrie
woman sitting there. She belonged to
the "Nowar," the unclcan parlah class
Of Palestine, who arc said 10 practice
magic arts. gypsy. If tho Sussex
| Downs would be her 9la.er in England
! Tho woman was tatsoocG from head to
| foot. She worc n blue turbln, and from
! squares and angles drawn In, tho dust
| before her. Spence knew her for II pro-
| fcsslona geomnnccr or fortune tclcr.
! lie threw her coin in idle speculation
and asked her 'hs lot for tho inime-
| date future,
Tho woman had n few shclls OF differ
Ont shapes In n heap by her side, and
she threw them into the figures on the
| ground.
Thcn. picking them up, she said in
bastard Arabic intcrspcrscd with hard
'-like sound, which marks tic nomnd
In Palestine. "Effendl, you have a sor-S
row and bewildcrnent Just past you. and,
like black star, It has fixed itself on
your forehead. a lctter-ls coming 10 you
from over the seas telling you Of work
to do. And then you will leave this
country and cross home in a steamer,
with n story to tell many people
Spence smiled at the glib prophecy
Certainly 1t might very well outline his
future course of action, but 1t was no
more than shrewd and obvious guess.
He was turning to go away when the
women opened her clothes in front show
Ing the upper part Of her body literally
covered with tattoo marks, and drew
ont small bag.
stay. my lord" she said II can tell
you much moro II you will hear have
here a very precious stone rubbed with
oil. which + brought from Mecca. Now
II you will hold this stone In your hand
ana give me the price you shall hear
what will come to you, Q camel Of the
house!"
The curious sensation OF "cxpectation'
that had been coming over Spence the
fatals,lc waiting for chance to g.ide
him which, In this Wild and drcam-like
business had begun to1take hold Of him,
made him give the bag what she asked.
There was something In clnirvoyance
>pcrhaps: at any rate, he would hear what
the Nurie woman had TO say.
She took dark and greasy pebble
from the bag and put 1t in his hand,
gazing at his fingers for 81 minute or
two In a fixed stare wlthofit speaAitg.
When at last she broke tho silence
Spcnce noticed that something had gone
out or her voice. Tho lncndicant whine,
the lngratIating Invitation had ceased
Her tones were inlnersonal, thinner, a
recitatiye.
Ere shutdown my lord will hear that a
friend has died and his spirit is IN the
we'll Of souls"
Tell me Of this friend, Q my aunt"
Spence said In colloluial Arabic.
"Thy friend Is Frank. but more than
n Frank. for no is one knowing much
OF this country, and has walked the
stones of Jerusalem for many years.
Thou wilt hear of his death from the
lips Of one who will tell thee of another
thou seekest. and knowtnot that 1t is lie.
80. Give me back the stone. lord. and
go thy way" she broke or suddenly.
with seeming sincerity II will tell thee
no more. for great business is In thy
hands and thou art no ordinary way
farer why didst thou hide It from me,
Encndif"
Drawing her blue head-drcss over her
face the woman refused to speak another
word.
Spence passed on, wondering. He knew.
as all travellers who arc not merely tour
lists know, that no one has ever been
Quite able to slft the fraud and trickery
from the strange power possessed ~
those Eastern gNomancers. 1t Is an un-
decided question still. but only the shall
low dare to- say'fhat all is imposture'
And even the London Journalist could
not be purely matcralistic in Jerusalem,
the City OF Sorrows.
He went on towards his destination,
Not far from the missionary establish
mcnt was Il building which was the head
quarters OF the Palestine EXPLOITING So 4
cicty in Jerusalem.
Cyril Hands had always lived up In
Akra among the Europeans but much
OF his time was necessarily spent IN tho
Murstan district. I 4.
The building was known as the Re
search Museum.
Hands and his assistants had gathered
Il valuable collection of ancient curlosl-
ties.
Here were hundreds of drawings and
photographs of various excavations. Al
curate measurements of tombs, purleu
houses ancient churches were entered N
great books.
Tn glass cases We're fragments Of an
cient pottery, old Hebrew seals schraos,
antInnc fragments OF jewelpy--all the
varied objects from which high scholar
ship and expert training was gradually,
year by year providing LUMINOUS ana
entirely fresh commentary on Holy writ.
Here, In short, We're the Tools or what
is known as the "llgher Criticism & .
Attached to the museum was library
and dra wing office, a photographic dark
!, room. !. apartments for the curator and
his wife. a man who engaged the native
Ia bor required for the excavations super