The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1912-08-15
The Carpet
From Bagdad
By Harold MacGrath, Author Of
Hearts and Masks The Man the Box etc.
Illustrations by M. G. Kettner
Copyright 1911 by Bobbs-Menl Company

! Copyright 1911 by Bobbs-M
eeeeeeeeeees.es.eeeee.ee,e1ees
~ In this congested quarter. II wouIu
have gained him no advantage what
sver. And Ryanne's perception Of the
enact situation enabled him to smile
with the cool effrontery Of man in
nred to sudden dangers.
well. well! So you have found
bour way to Cairo, Mahomed?"
Yes. effendi," returned Mahomed,
with smile that answered Ryanne's
On thought and expression, the only
Derceivable difference being In the 40
eentuated Wilderness of his fine teeth.
Yes, have found you"
"And you have been looking for
met"
Surely"
Ryanne, with an airy gesture, signi.
Aed that he wished to enter his car
rage. Mahomed, with a movement
equally light, implied his determine
zion to stand his ground.
"In a moment, effendi," he said
smoothly.
Mahomed spoke English more or
less fluently. His career Of forty-odd
years had been most colorful. Once a
young sheik of the desert, of ample
following, a series Of tribal wars left
him unattached, a wanderer without
tent, village or onion-patch. He had
first appeared in Cairo. Here he had
Df necessity picked up few words of
English; and from laborer in the cot
ton fields he was eventually graduated
% the envied position Of dragoman or
guide. He tired Of this, being nomadic
by instinct and inclination. He tried
his hand at rugs in Smyrna, failed, and
found himself stranded in CONSTANT
nople. He drifted, became a steve
dore. hotel porter, burying his pride
I'LL that moment when he could, in
dignity and security, resurrect 1t. For
tune, hanging fire, relented upon his
appointment as cavass or messenger
20 the British Consulate. After q
time. he became what he considered
prosperous; and like all fanatic pa
cams of his faith, proposed to recon
struct his religious life by a pilgrim
age to Holy Mecca. While there, he
had performed considerable service
Dm behalf of the future Pasha Of Bag
dad, who thereafter gave him place
h his retinue.
Mahomed was not only proud but
wise; and series Of events, sequences
Df his own shrewdness, pushed him
forward till he became in deed, If not
ln fact. the Pasha's right-hand man in
Bagdad. That quaint city, removed as
It is from the ordinary highways of
the Orient, Is still to most of us an
echo remote and mysterious; and the
present Pasha enjoys great privileges,
over property, over life and death;
end it is not charging upon fact to
vay that when he deems it necessary
10 lop off head, he does 80, without
consulting his master in CONSTANT
aOple. 1t Is all in the business of
Jay. Next to his celebrated pearls and
fose-diamonds, the Pasha held as his
most precious treasure. the Holy
Yhiordes. And for it's loss Mahomed
knew that his own head rested but in
Scurely upon his lean neck. That his
star was still in ascendancy he be-
6eved. The Pasha would not be in
Bagdad for many weeks. The revolu.
ton in Constantinople, the success of
the Young Turk party, made the
Pasha's future incumbency a matter Of
conjecture. While he pulled those
wires familiar to the politician, Ma.
homed set out bravely to recover the
stolen rug. He was prepared to pro-
coed to any length to regain it, even
TO the horrible Ito his Oriental mind
necessity of buying it. He retained
bis travelworn garments circumspect-
~, for none would believe that hia
burnouse was we'll lined with English
bank.notes.
"Well?" said Ryanne, whirling his
cane. He was by no means at ease.
There was going to be trouble some
where along the road.
II have come for the Yhiordes, eff.
tendi."
."The rug? That's too bad. haven't
It."
J "Who has?" One fear beset Mahom-
eds heart; this dog, whom he called
effendi, might have sold it, since that
must have been the ultimate purpose
OF the theft. And If he had sold it
to one who had left Egypt Ma.
homed's neck grew cold. "Who has
It. effendi? Is the man still in Cairo 2"
Eyes. If you and your two friends
will come with me to the English Bar.
III explain many things to you," as
sured Ryanne. beginning, as he be-
deved. to see his way forward. Don't
be afraid. I'm not setting any trap for
you. I'll tell you truthfully that
didn't expect to see you so soon. II
you'll come along I'll do the best l can
to straighten out the matter. What do
you say?"
Mahomed eyed him with keen dis.
trust. This white man was as strong
In cunning as he was in flesh. He had
had practical demonstrations. Stil1.
whatever road led to the recovery of
the rug must needs be travelled. His
arm, though 1t still reposed In q sling.
WAS not totally helpless. It stood