River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1912-07-18

parently Of the felah class. They wore the
common blue kimona-like garment, held to-
gether seemingly by luck, and their small black
wells were thrown over their heads leaving
their faces bare and thus placing them out
side the pale of Egyptian responsibility I
about to walk away to avoid their Fostering
when my eyes met those of the one who was
I'm the lead and instantly l was attracted in
place of being repealed.
Her sparkling eyes, turned full on me and
ignoring all else, told me plainly as words
could have done that she had some message
for me, and, suspecting that the moment for
which I had been waiting for weeks had ar
rived, I walked slowly toward her. though
in mood to barter. AS we met, seemingly
somewhat disconnected by my steady gaze or
profound and unconcealed admiration, she
drew her uncouth veil across her face and held
out her hands, like one trained to tourist trade,
that / might examine her wonderful rings.
Those hands could never have known work,
they were so soft and small; and arms more
perfectly rounded were never modelled in mar
BILE by master Plainly this woman was not
of the servant class, to which her companions
as clearly belonged.
One of her hands was half closed, and as
she laid it in mine 1t opened and small piece
of folded paper fell into my palm. Long &C
customed to ways out of the ordinary, | gave
no sign beyond an involuntary start which she
felt. but no one else noticed, and proceeded,
with much deliberation, to select a ring which
i purchased as a souvenir of our first meeting
Not word passed between us except as to the
price OF the ring, over which there was no
hagglng.
The women who we're with her made pre-
tense of showing me their wares, but 1t was
only show for the benefit of any sinquisitive
persons who might be watching and without
urging me to buy they passed on.
Curious as to the contents of the communi
cation which had come to me so strangely, but
fearful of being watched by knew not whor,
it was some time before l went to my room
to read the note by the light of tallow can
die. The mysterious missive read
You are Captain Boynton. Are you willing
TO undertake difficult and perhaps dangerous
mission? Answer tomorrow night through the
channel by which you receive this
Here was romantic promise of sometrins
new and real in the way of excitement, for !
could imagine nothing stereotyped growing out
of such an unusual beginning, and rejoiced.
Inasmuch the only man in Cairo who knew
me as Captain Boynton. and who was acquaint-
ed with my favorite occupation, was a conf
dant of the Khedive, it naturally occurred to
ME that the oily Tew1k Pasha was mixed up
in it some way, and suspected that it involved
another secret movement against British rule
in Egypt. The latter suspicion was soon verb
fed. and there never has been any doubt in
my own Hlhd IndC was eqAs1iy Soi1 - -
conjecture as to the participation, or at least
the silent approval, of Tewfik.
The next evening, before going down to din
rner, / wrote my reply:
Eyes, provided it is something a gentleman
can do and / am we'll paid for it. But will
conduct no negotiations in this way | must
see the people l am doing business with.
After dinner I retired to the same outofthe-
way corner of the garden in which had been
found the night before, to await developments.
1t probably was not long, but it seemed hours