El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-11-07
By Leslie Thomas.

- ONE years ago I made long trip
through Persia. had been stop
~ ping at Ispahan for about two
months when I met the chief Of the
city's police, a young Persian noble
man, Mahomet Aga, who mad spent
several years in Europe Wnere naL
first met him. was delighted OF
course. to meet him again IN this cor
ner Of the world and beIore many
days we were quite inseparaDIe-
One morning I had taken my usudA
ride through the charming surround
ings Of the city and was just passing
an old ruin when my eye met q woman
being carried in sedan chalr- As d
rule Persian women look ike DunQle
of clothes when outside the walls OF
their home, but this one was an eS-
ception, for her dress rather accenIu-
ated her unusually DeautlIul 1lS re-
Her great test attraction, however was
her eyes, sparkling through her tnln
veil.
AS she was being carried down a
side road, I thought I saw her turning
to look at me several times
I had amOst forgotten her Wnen a
few DAYS later I met the same SEDAN
chair This time I was not atone Wa
homet Aga was with me Like last
time she turned and j nouced lhat sLS
dropped her handkerchief into a Dusn
looked at my friend. Evidently
he had not noticed anything, nor o1q
he seem to notice that I stopped ana
picked up the handkerchief.
We had hardly, entered the mousse
however, when he said
Let me advise you as a friend 20
throw into the fire immediately the
handkerchief that you are mdlng at
your bosom ,.,,s ,.7,,-t,
What do you mean asheu' D-u9l--
ing against my viii.
4 would be sorry to hear that you
had died a violent death
NO butts You Europeans are USED
TO thinking that flirtations are narIn-
less nut oriental husbands under
stand no jokes IN that kind OF ma Ter.
It may interest you to hear that the
beautiful woman is not unhnO"A IO
me. Her name is khanum.
"'Khanum,' cried uslasLlcaI1y-
ct is good her husband did not hear
Won He is a rich merchant living IN
the old part of thei city - IS khOWH
and feared for his Jealousy and cru
eltv. he would not hesitate a single
moment killing you, II ne suIpII9eu
YOU in his wife's company.
And what do they say about hna-
NUM-" -.-u h
said with a smile. an this part OF the
Tro-Id nobody cares to think or speak
of q woman If our wives are unIalth-
full we simply put them into Dag anu
throw them into the river
What do you say 1 crleu- Du-
that is atrOCiOus.
ssWel. it is not quite as bad as that
The bag belongs to the past re F5I-
slams are more clVlllzeu now DGI -
matuIIe. your love-light's husband, be
ing a man of the old school, Woulu not
hesitate to use the bag
This short conversation cooled my
hot feelings somewhat Ana the neAL
morning 1 could think Of the beautiful
Khanum with great equanlmlCy or at
least I thought I could.
few evenings later I was sitting
on the terrace outside my house, en-
jOying the cool breeze, Wnen saw an
ugly old woman approaching. WIN
out addressing the servants, she
v-q1lyed straight Up to me, and when
we were alone she said 10 me IN Ing
ush:
Are you brave?"
Ny answer was smile.
L have a proposal TO make you" she
went on. TT is already quite dark
and nobody viii notice US Follow me
and when we come to certain spot
tie this handkerchief about your eyes.
You must swear that you viii make no
attempt to discover where am taxing
YOU
Immediately accepted the old wo-
mans proposal WlLnout tnlhklhs OF
the consequences. There was no doubt
the old bag had been sent by hhanun,
the thought of whose beautiful figure
and eyes again made my heart beat
faster.
Five minutes later we were on our
way after I had slipped revolver into
my pocket.
we had been walking about half an
hour when the old woman produced a
'kerchief and tied it in front Of my
eyes. I took her hand and let her
guide me.
At last she stopped. heard her
open door and she whispered to me
to walk up a stairway. 1T was only
five steps, then my feet stepped on
soft rug and the bandage was removed
from my eyes. I found myself inside
a small room, dimly illuminated by an
oId-fa shioned oriental lamp The air
was fragrant with the Intoxicating
fumes of costly incense and all the
walls were hidden by magnificent
rugs
[ heard a light step behind me,
turned and beheld-Khanum.
Speeches. with admiration I stared
at her. She looked to be about s. or
II. Her blush black hair fell like
mantle over her beautiful white neck
and shoulders, her eyes were laughing
and fun Of mischief, her teeth dazzling
white.
She took my hand. asked me to sit