Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-21
Abdu11ah
Continued from page s

of one of my hats to make it stick on. Her hair
was cut short, and she made rather a smart
youth, though too likely to attract attention by
her good looks, l feared.
There was narrow single wardrobe in the
cabin. She could just stand in it. | put her
there at the time the steward brought the morn
ing tea. When he had gone | lifted her the
upper berth-she was too weak to climb up
and put my rugs over her, as if l had thrown
them there ready to take when we landed and
there she lay till alongside the wharf
and some friends of the passengers were aboard
My cabin was on the side of the ship away
from the wharf, fortunately, and that side was
aim st deserted. l chose favorable moment
and she walked out of the cabin and round the
deck with me. l called her Jack, and talked to
her about the voyage. No one suspected that
she was anyone but a friend come to meet me-
We walked ashore unchaenged and took
hanson. We drove to my hotel 1t was not
safe to give the address of her friends at the
wharf, she thought. She suspected Russian
emssaries everywhere
We had a second breakfast together. Poor
little Abdullah was ravenouS. Then / sent for
a cab for her. My heart was very heavy; for
she was Princess had always remembered
own, and anyhow she was not for poor man
like me- l said something of the kind when she
cried at parting, and when she said something
it was very broken-about her pride being
less than her gratitude told her that had my
pride too, and almost pushed her to the door.
"Only," said as l stood bareheaded by the
cab if you need help at any time you will
come to me, or send for me, if l have gone back
to the States. You have only to cable, and
shall come by the next boat. And shall stay
here month to see if you want me. Promise
me! Your pride must not stand in the way of
that. l am entitled to ask it. Promise me.
Abdullah?" l always called her that
Il promise" she said, and then the cab went.
SHE came back in the afternoon a handsome,
smiling young lady in a smart tailor made
costume. There was nothing of the boy in her
and hung her head as Abdullah had never done
She put her hands on my shoulders and pushed
me back in my chair as was rising, and looked
down at me.
Il need your help already" she said, land
shall need it all my life long. When l was
nasty, dirty, ugly Moorish boy you said that
bewitched you. Can't bewitch you now l
head on one side.
"Oh!' | said. "Ohl Abdullah!"
We were married the next day, and the day
after we sailed for New York. She was safer as
my wife than in any other way. her friends de-
clared; for they thought that spies were watch
ing them, and they dared not keep her at their
house, or in London even. We had some anx-
ious moments ourselves, on the journey and
after our return home, fancying that spies were
watching us, and then-a few days after
little girl was born-the amnesty pro-
claimed, and Princess Cheruski came to her
own.
At least she could have come to her own, and
society is ready enough still to receive her
great Princess but she preferred to resign her
rank and sell her Russian estates and to live in
the States as just the wife of my husband"
When am away and she writes to me she signs
herself "your little black slave boy"-but she
knows that l was always the slave of Abdullah,