The Washington times., 1910-11-14
THE SHADOW OF THE SPHINX
By
A +

Inen 0eaQ silence, broken by long
whistle OF amaZement as Jack Penn re-
ceived and digeSIed the news
Eut II vas at Hope that I was looking
her features were set and expression
ssss, nor did she glance in my direction
An impatient, almost angry movement
from Feridah made me aware that my
eyes must have carried world OF ap-
peal 70 the unrecognizing American girl
Then my look shifted TO HafiZ As
though carved from marble he stood
HIS face was like stone. Yet I saw
that the hand laid careiessly on his
saber hit gripped the weapon until his
knuckles were white with the strain
Inwardly 1 admired his splendid self
control
AL faces were now turned upon me
For good or Tor evil, the time 20 speak
had come In another minute the calm
gaze OF the onlOokers might well change
TO glares OF fury and dozen drawn
weapons might menace me-
Yet ] would speak the truth would
remain true to the pale. stately girl who
now refused even to meet my eve At
the risk Of death itself. I would prove
cut me to the heart TO do what ! must
do. Feridah loved ne-had rtsked hor-
ribIe death FOR uae-and now the man
she twice had saved must shame her
before her fathers whole tribe
I would almost, at that moment. have
changed places with the msng1est OF
the scavenger-dogs proving on the
outskirts OF the camp. This was worse
Nephew prompted Basraoul kind
~. as I Sesitated. you have had the
night for reflection What is your
reply2'
lie smiled pleasantly. confident Of my
answer, and deeming my pause due TO
natural embarrassment IN a measure
he was right Never since the birth OF
tire. I think has wretehed man been
I got to nv feet, saluted him once
more and prepared for the plunge
Nothing could be gained BY DELAY.
Greeting, o Basraoul! And you, 0
sheilVs, elders, end councillors o. the
Il Kanah1' I began Ny mind Is In
deed made I'D, and what I now say /
must abide by 90 the end With hum
bic gratitude have heard your ernir's
dazzline effer-an offer Of which am
all unworthy. And I Will reply frankly
''SslasmI AIeikum'" came a hoarse
salute from the doorway A man, dust
covered and travel-stalned, burst with
out ceremony through the amazed cir
Gle and advanced unannounced toward
The er1fr-
BasraouI faced the intruder angrily.
and wrathful nautterings swsDt the con
course az this rude interruption. But
TO all this the newcomer gave no heed,
nor did he bow before the enuir, as vas
the uufailine custom OF the desert
An odd figure was this stranger, gi-
Eanticaliy tall, with almost coal-black
face and the features Of a particularly
ferOCiOus negro He wore but q single
garment LONG, dirty-white tunzc-and
carried IN one hand a seven-fOOt, shovel
headed spear His WooIv black hair
vas oiled high above his low brow and
white scar TaI down one side Of his
This was my first glimpse or any Of
the famous, OF Infamous. 'F'uZzy-A99z-
zies-'' The Khalifah's Sudanese dervIsh
body guard wish II had been my
The Sudarese, without sulutatfon
dirty T1archTrfeU~ scroll into
the emir's hand
From the Son OF Heaven. and in
bsste-T he grcwled IN thick, cultural
At his words. the demeanor OF all
the BedOuins underwent an Instant
change Anger and surprise gave place
20 anxious. respectful interest All
leaned forward regarding the messen-
ger with new interest. ] and my affairs
were utterly forgotten
The ernir took the scroll with actual
veneratiOn- Touching il 70 his lips and
forehead, he broke the seal. spread out
the parchment. and glanced over its
contents. Surprise was IN his strong
ace as he read Then. finishing he
again kissed the scroll and thrust It
into his Eirdle-
see that this messenger from the
Heaven-born IS cared for ne ordered
one Of his servants Turning to the
assemblage, he went on
This IS a matter for instant and
private council All save the high
councillors and sheiks will withdraw
Catching my eve, as We Others pre-
pared to 20, ne added, less formally:
To read the Feaven-boTn' message
to nv council VIII not take long Then,
hurried as we shall be, we VIII Vet
md tine 20 finish the haUpier affair
But marriage and all else must N-ait
on the Khalifah's business Return II
a half hour. my nephew
As we left the tent. ! noticed that
Feridah vas pausins on The threshold
u do Il rfr~
speak 10 her tf1cu. SO. linking aT1s
with Jack Penn. I fsiCned not to see
her amid the crowd Of outgoing ueo-
pie once free Of IEat Press, ] would
seek Hone and tell her everything
so you're going 70 Re a real live
eEnir vourselfr' cro1ed Jack. slapping
ne on the back with hercUlean force
that leFt me GREATNESS and homicidal
And going to make the princess into
Mrs Hugh StandIsh. toC2 Lord. but
sorre folks get all the luck Now, II #
were Il"
Jack" I snapped, you ns-st have
been born more than ordinarily fool
ishl You never could have ACQUIRED ali
your ldiOCy IN the twenty-five brief
years yOu've lived
But, say he began
I cauent a futter OF Hopes white
dress Just beyond. She was moving
out, alone, toward the rocky plain be
yord the Sncampment- I could not
have asked for a better chance TO say
what I had %. I took my temporary
respite as 4 good omen With the
knowledge that she loved me, I could
face any diff Guilty with a. bliJhe heart
Then, too, her father. who was wise
and weIl-verssd in Bedouin ways, might
be able TO solve the knOtty problem and
avert BasraouPs wrath.
So 7 broke uGceremoniousfy from
Jacks arm and ran forward away
from the Others, TO where Hope walked
alone
The Continuation of This Story WI
Be Found in TouorTOvss