The sun., 1908-05-10

aoFno Of them waiting 10 be hanged, and al
Of them pretty we'll deserving 10 be, ana
from their throats came the yell which
makes one word, at least, Of the Arabic
language as familiar as the name OF COOK
10 the European traveller-th0 hoarso
hungry veil Of -Backsheeshl'
This unexpected invasion seemed no
doubt 10 leave q good deal 10 be desired
In the direction Of Turkish prison discipline.
but having been born myself 70 spnicient
contempt for law and order, and BENG
moreover, one Of those who, with ,Lord
ManFdeld, regard the criminal on his hurdle
a. no blaoker than the Judge who sen fenced
him might have been In the same environ
ment, I was not much perturbed by the
blazing eyes and wild animal growb OF my
new aoquaintanoes. | soon also Degan 70
dlstnpllsh amid the mob two prison
warders, each carrying a whip, but In little
else, either OF dress, or, indeed, physiog-
nomy, distnguishable from. their muir
derous flock. The purse Of medlidiehs
and 'metallios' had been confided 70 Alex
distribution Of the coin was 10 be the hrst
and indeed only practical business OF our
visit In the eyes Of the wolves who. we're
leaping In upon us, the purse bearer began
10 evince a nervousness that soon gre"
4 happy thought, however, Of the Gov
ernor saved the situation for the moment
The purse was transferred to my wife, who
from her seat on the safe side OF the grille
was able TO make the distribution IN smal
quantities without any danger OF genera
grab with tooth and CLAW. A short speech OF
remonstTance from the Governor, reen.-
forced by an unceremonious application OF
the warders' whips upon the bare shins OF
the ringleaders obtained temporary sue
cass for an arrangement by which the heads
man Of each dormitory OF eight or ten con-
viots came forward 10 the bars TO receive
his comrades allowance. which was there
upon licked on by the Governor on his
notebook
But this was a slow process; II became
more and more evident that nothing snort
Of another miracle OF the loaves and fishes
would make the 50 francs OF any avail TO
satisfy the multitude. They pressed IN
more and more aggressively with eyes like
dagger thrusts, and greedy wells, some OF
them brandishing the tools with which they
had been employed on prison labor and
others utilizing skilfullv the irons with
which their legs we're chained The warders
whips, even II there was room to WELD
them, we're no longer OF any greater efti-
cacy than a pitchfork TO keep out the sea.
The Governors face, | now noticed Tor the
but nv first real suspicion OF the situation
came through roar OF pain from the IN.
fortunate dragoman. who. with an agonized
groan. whispered 10 me, They'll murder
llsl'
So little had either my wife or myself
realized the situation-for, understanding
little OF what was passing, and taking 1t
for granted that all the passion and fury
was simply the Oriental mode OF scramb-
ling for ooppers. | was on the best Of terms
with our murderous friends, addressed
some excellent observations TO them In the
English tongue. and was allowed to push
them back In a rough and tumble way with
out Tesistance-so exaggerated, say.
seemed Friend AleKander's alarm that ]
burst out laughing. But the moment |
saw his face. livid with terror, the laugh
came to an untimely end. They're pinch
ing my arm like knives and threatening TO
kill me, he whispered, and dare say by
way Of rebuke 20 my misplaced merTiment,
what will happen TO my wife and chill
dren?'
The argument was not TO he answered.
But how 10 get away? For the Two iron
gates we're lock ed behind u.s. the Governor
and the two luckess warders were tossing
--rdr nantes in gurgite udSto-amidst the
black deluge Of rascality around us, and
II IL had once come TO a rush they could
have had our money or our lives, or both
combined, before there would be the
slightest chance Of our being able to creep
out through the tiny iron wickets between
us and liberty. Even in the high tide OF
his panic a stroke Of genius worthy Of his
illustrious protonym inspired Alexander.
Our supply Of money is exhausted. We