Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-15
The Garden of Fate
Continued from page 7

Continued ]
through quieter streets where. through passing
open doorways, they caught flashes of court
yards. and once. in long stretch. they heard
whisperingS above and saw from a roof terrace
a row of hooded heads where the women of
some nabob's harem stared at them with the
one unblinking eye. their blackened fingertips
holding their yashmaks as if to conceal a world
of charm from PROCLAMATION.
AT last they came to the low dOmed pile that
was once the most magnificent mosque in that
portion of the world. Forewarned. they made
no attempt to enter; but contented themselves
with peering into the place. where of the hum
dreds of hanging lamps only few were burn
ing dimly above the PROSTATE and kneeling
worshipers. They even glimpsed the pulpit
with it's incruStation of ivory. ebony. and gems;
but could not see the place where the splendid
Mirab niche faced Mecca, which was said
to have been covered from sight of even the
worshipers.
The officer. discovering that several men
had gathered behind and were glowering at
them and muttering to one another because OF
their curiosity. turned away with sense OF
disappointment. The mosque had little be-
yond historic association to attract an alien.
and he had not the admiration for anything
religious that the English girl expressed. They
walked several PAGES from it and then halted,
Miss Clarke explaining as they did so that GER
tain huge chandeliers were made of bells taken
from Europe in the time when Mediterranean
coasts were secured for slaves and plumber by
the then powerful followers of the Prophet.
LOOK! Look!" Miss Marshall whispered ex-
- citedly, clutching their arms and facing
an entrance to the mosque they had just left.
A man clad in flowing burnooSe had
stopped to speak to another before the door.
That it was only word in passing shown
because he again started to enter. He had been
holding fold of his mantle round his face; but
as he stopped to say a farewell word to the
other he released his hold for instant and
they beheld the dark face of Buhammei re-
vealed for full Identification The fold was
gathered up again and he slipped into the dark
opening and was lost to sight. 1t was the first
time they had seen him in the costume of his
country and all at once it seemed to them that
he was infinitely removed from their friendship
or acquaintance. that he had suddenly become
as barbaric as any of the white clad figures
round them and refrigerated back into the
half civilization of his Moorish ancestors.
Charlotte voiced the feeling of the others
when she said thoughtfully. I'm not sure
that l shall like him again, or be even inter
ested. He is too much like savage, after all.
They had intended to visit the mosque of
Edris, where the bones of the founder of the
city rested; but something in the chance en-
counter and the miserable showing of poverty
that surrounded them made them relinquish
the idea.
1t doesn't matter" Miss Clarke said to the
Captain. You will see plenty of mosques
every time you step out of DOORS There are
hundreds of them everywhere
And all just accessible" Charlotte added
Very interesting indeed" Dick commented
with touch of sarcasm, and again the English
girl looked at him with shade of reproach.
THEY made their way back to the consular
palace. passing a square where several de-
crepit fountains were languidly throwing water
upward and the greenery appeared furnished
and unkempt. 1t was the noon hour. and from
the minarets around came the call of the faith.
Allah Akbar!'' God is great" They saw
many figures with faces turned eastward. and
for an instant the tawdriness of everything was
lost in the hush that followed, which told
them palmer than words that wherever Mus
sulman dwelt beneath the mid sun a prayer
was ascending. 1t relieved the Arabian world
of its shabbness. this splendid though in many
cases perfunctory adherence to a faith that
was old and had cost SO much of devotion. even
to sacrifice of life itself. The American could
not help feeling certain respect for any people
that would so closely observe it, and for a mo-
ment forgot the subtle, crafty. and cruel heart
beat beneath.
In brooding stiffness they made their way to
their home where they found a note from the
Hon. Bob to the effect that he would not be
there. as he going directly from business
appointment to the Sultan's palace. where he
had been duly called by the messenger of
Grand Sheriff Mousan. He could not refrain
from exultation even in his note. which after