The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-11-20

Hc-S145E- -AnOL2AeG SLtp ana i " eiS IN a
vast low hall, whose walls were lined
with double rows OF white gOwned
soldiers and motley COurt1erS. To
these persons I gave scant heed; my
eyes rested on a dais at the far end
Of the hall. where sat a man with
some hatf q dozen others grouped be
l-in1 him.
The kavass bowed low. touching his
forehead 70 the dirty stone floor. I
saluted, military fashion. and, at a
sign, advanced toward the Gais- As /
walked 1 looked closer at the man
who sat cross-legged at the front Of
the platform
He was enormously fat. His broad
nose anU thick lips gave sign Of negro
aWkW ard4y upon him. 4et 4 saw no
trace OF nobility or inspira ton
Nothing TO prove this khalifah AbdaI-
lah a worthy successor to that myth
ca charIatan ard genius, the Mahdi.
Yet, as I recalled the foot OF the dSis-
SaIuted once more. as respectfully as
might be, and stood awaiting his fur
Their pleasure
a erirny old dervish. whose single torn
garment. tangled beard and SCARED.
twisted body atteSted his sanctity. called
shrilly from behind the khalifah:
Why do you not PROSTATE yourself
bel ore the son Of Heaven Do you not
fear the vengeance Of the prophet upon
0isrespeCt TO his SOM
A n1urmur Of reyerentlai awe and ap-
prevail ran around the great apartment
But before the holy mans suggestion
could be further commented upon
deep booming voice, resonant as
church organ, broke in upon the lOoser
volumes OF sound
a gigantic. Observation-Disclosures man had
slouched forward from the group on the
dais, stepped 10 the floor and grippet
my hand-AmeTIcau raShlOn-aS in a
wise. He was dressed with neat military
simplicity. and wore red feZ instead
OF the usual yoiuminOus turban- An
enormous Erizzled beard hid the lower
part OF his face and fell halfway TO his
sword belt.
.'He does not PROSTATE himself. o
most holy Sdrdak.T doomed the bearded
giant. because. like myself. he comes,
half, Of race that does not kneel to
any save its God But he VIII night zone
the worse Greeting, o brother
The big mans careless speech was is
tened to with marked Difference Even
the khaifah relaxed the slight frDWn
thar had marred his ugly low forehead
The speakers words had hintt4 10 me
his Own Identity and stared Win rear
interest on the grizZled soldier
I knew this must be the famed OSn-an
Digna-the bearded one whose deeds had
kept the British government in ferInenI
fer quarter Of a century Halt-Euro-
lot with the East As slave-trader ne
had defied Gordon With Arab Pasha
he had aroused Alexandra against the
English he had later been the rea.
brains Of the Mahdist mOvement. and
had now cast his fortune with the
khaIifah. Lowering his great organ
voice 70 a rumble he spoke 10 me IN
1T was all right he said. in a rapid
aside, mot 10 PROSTATE yourself. but
show all the courtesy and respect YOU
can. Il goes a long way here some
time YOU must tell me how YOU worked
those miracles of yours. Abdauah is
more impressed by them than over all
his faEers' tricks put together Your
fortune with him is made. II you are
~, L,r,s1ifa17 weary Of the delay now
broke IN
-.Sheik Nassau he began. in an oily
vet impatient voice. Us II indeed true
that Allah guided you, Unknowlngs
across 1O.Coo miles Of sea and land 10
1T Is so. o commander OF the faith
FUR / replied. feeling like character
in the Arabian Nights as I made use
OF the quaint title
And that Allah loosed your tongue
and unbound YOUR memory Wnen YOU
came before your uncle for the first
time. so that You spoke with ease the
language whereof you had no knoWl-
edCe2 Is this true. as my servant Bas-
Taoul. tells me2
The woris OF my UncIe- BasTaoui' are
as the words of Fl Koran for pure
truth said I; 1t is even as ne said
Chen" cried the kbalifah, rising pom
derousIv and laying one greasy hanc on
ny shoulder, II. the mOuthpieCe OF the
nr0u7et declare before all men thai
Allah and our Lord Mohammed haze
brOuCf9t. EOU TO Us BY miracle ana Tor
their own great purposes As InIne own
son shall you be- and as SUN 1Aal- my
people honor yOu-'
Again a mur~nur swept the hal and
all craned forward 10 Cain better view
Of the man 50 extraordinarily honored
tv their khalifah- Truly. / was IN little
sanger OF orDhanhood- II seemed, since
every man Of note I met sought TO adopt
me.
And my Iuckless American sense Of
int
grin as the heaven-bOrn took me by the
hand and led me I'D on the oals, where
he motiOned ne 70 a seat neSloe CS'1Ilah
Digna at own Tl 5lin In ere I,-o sat-
az favor 1bdaiI7h CUndeSCended to cast
AT me every few moments over his
shoulder in the intervals Of state at
fairs I was glad Jack penn vas not
there
Now. at BasraouI-s request, the sheiks
and elders OF the Fl KdEdh were ed-
rnitted, and the khalifah, as they DOW
cd before him, wasted on eacn sen
te0ce or two Of benedfctiou before they
withdrew 10 one side OF the ca1s- Ha-
6z's face was a study as he beheld me
seated IN the place OF honor beside 40
,5aEab Clearly, the sight gave him lit
tie 10Y. Whereat was small enough OF
spirit TO take a certain malicious &c
Presently, when other details. Of the
audience were disposed Of, Sardak, the
holy man, stepped from the daiS, faced
the khaIifah. and, raising one bare.
SCARED arm 10 arrest attention, spoke
Victory he cTOaked Thetorlcaliy-
is promised Us by Allah But II We
prove unworthy the Divine favor VIII
be Withdrawn, even as the sun hides
behind clouds. Let Us beware how we
ssS11reIv. We still deserve it inter
pOlated the khalfah-
ct is not so certain boldly contra
dicted Sardak. IN the train OF the Fl
Kanah are three fnfideIs-three InSlesL {
Thev are not captives. nor held for
death but as I am told. are hOnored
guests. Is it thus We court the favor
OF AIIah?'
BasraouI sprang Up 70 reply, but SaT-
OAK gave him no chance
rs it pleasing =. heaven. resumed
the dervish, is 1t pleasing IN high that
this. the stronghold OF the faith, should
l. defIed by the presence Of lsnbeiiev-
ers2 That we. who have received divine
command 10 smite the InSleSi and de-
strov them from the face OF the earth (
should entertain persons that occurs
ed race as our guests2 NJ he added. .
his hCarse voice rising to a shout for
The good OF the faith and the pleasure
OF heaven they must die The breath
Of the prophet Is in my words 1 speak