The Press., 1912-09-25
 he,AlbinO A Story of a Marrow
 Escape
By Clarissa Mackie

skirting the African coast.
 "Do. James," urged Mrs. Hanford, as the seven tourists drew their chairs Into close proximity. 'I know positive ly that you had an adventure with that albino dragoman you hired at Ca1ro.
 "An albino dragomanP laughed Ar thur Clayton. "Ye gods, what sight! Was your man Egyptian, Arabian Mussulman or ChristianW
 "He was not exactly an albtno; he was very fair and light haired, was he not, James" questioned Mrs. Hanford' referring to her husband, who was listening with a smile of amusement
 Light headed" he corrected. "Hata had an Egyptian mother, an Arabian father. The mother was Christian and the father a Mohammedan; Hatla was an out and out heather and is now for all know"
 sThat is not all of your story," pro tested Miss Emeline Gray. ''That saw ors too much of tabloid fiction"
 "It isn't much of a story," admitted MT. Hanford reluctantly. Indeed, l don't understand how Harriet got the idea there was a story connected with Hafla."
 "I never suspected there was until l saw you kicking him down the steps of the hotel" retorted Mrs. HanfOrd quiet ly, and amid the laugh that followed MT. Hanford began his story.
 "Well. Hafia, the heathen, came to me the first day we arrived In Ca1ro and, after assuring me that he was the most efficient interpreter and guide be- tween the Red sea and the Atlantic ocean, he produced innumerable tat tered bits of paper that he swore were recommendations from former patrons, and as I did not care to examine them was compelled to take him at his own valuation.
 "Of course, I was mainly interested In the excavations around Naua Belaks and Hafia professed to have been born in the very shadow of the Mana pyra mids, so I was confident that our ex- petition would be accomplished with out mishap, as he was doubtless well acquainted with the vicinity.
 ''These pyramids are a half days tourney to the east of Cairo, and on the morning of our start my dragoman appeared with two camels, and soon we were leaving the city streets be- hind and rocking over the sandy road past the waterworks and out toward the Arabian desert.
 Master remarked Hafia to me a | few hours later as we ate luncheon beside little spring of water, I hay" been thinking that there is a pretty pyramid much nearer than that of \ Naua, where there are no excavations being made and where all is peace and | Quietness instead of dirt and disorder. ! One could sleep refreshingly there
 "'Hafia,' said sternly, we so to in vestigate, to observe, to discover, not to sleep. We shall sleep when we re- turn to Cairo. Remove the luncheon and let us be on our way
 with i'll grace my albinO dragOman | tossed the remains of our meal into the sand and brought my camel to its knees before me. We rode on In si- lence for several hours. Instead of the cheerful conversation which had light ened the burden of the sandy journey
 
 for Hafia was sulking openly, and l was out of patience with him and be ginning to have serious doubts as to his integrity.
 "'You said it was a half days jour- ney.' exclaimed at last. 1t is now 5 o'clock and we are still in the desert.
 "T came the long way, master, grOwled Hafia moodily.
 "'why did you do thatY demand ed, thoroughly angry.
 "Hafia shrugged his shoulders. I have forgotten the short way. Besides it is rough and infested with robbers
 "'How soon shall we arrive al NauaT
 "'In an hour, master. but will ques ton this caravan
 Approaching us across the sun bath ed sand was a string of some ten or q dozen ragged looking camels, whose riders were the dirtiest and most ras cally looking lot I'd seen in many q day.
 ,, "'Don't let them know we are alone Hafia,' warned him. They look like robbers
 "Hafia rolled one of his queer light colored eyes toward me as he nodded reassuringly. He held a few minutes low toned conversation with the lead CTS of the caravan, and then, dismiss ing them with a rough spoken word he turned and watched them as they disappeared behind us through tht golden sunset haze.
 "'When the first star has risen wG shall see the pyramid of Naua, master. said Hafia good naturedly. and iron that moment he chattered on Witl high spirits until had almost forgot tea his morose fit.
 "Just after the sun had set and while the swift twilight was falling plotting out distant oasis or nearby sand dune, I thought heard the sof padding of camel hoofs passing us OI the sand, and I strained my eyes tG the left and saw as through a thick gray veil a shadOwy caravan of meI and camels passing us. In an instant they were out of sight ahead of us, anC believed the vision to have been al hallucination of sight and hearing, st did not mention the matter to Haaa and afterward was glad that l dtG not.
 "All at once a dark shape lOOmed Ou of the twilight, and just above 1t saw the dim luster of the first star.
 ""The pyramidr' I exclaimed.
 "'Have I spoken the truth. master? :? demanded Hafla proudly.
 "'Yes, Hafa. Is there not caml nearby where the expedition in charg' I of the excavations have theiI guar ters? I would speak with tbe grea man in charge. have letters of in troduction, and would spend tn night in his camp
 'There was an instant's hesitation and then Hafa's voice came soft an' velvety through the semidarkness.