Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-22
THE CARPET
FROM BAGDAD
By
HAROLD MACGRATH
fCopyright. 1911, BY the Bobbs- Merrill
Company


Mahomed folded his arms his express
sion was calm and unafraid. But down
in his heart the fires Of hell were raging
II only he had brought his rifle from the
tent: even a knife: and one mad moment
If he died for It, And he had been gentle
to the girl; he had withheld the lash from
the men; he had not put into action
single plan arranged for their misery ana
humiliation, Truly his blood had turned
to water and he was worthy OF death.
The white man, always and ever the
white man won in the end. TO nave
come this far. and then to be cheated
out of his revenge by chance. kismet.
There was but one thing left for him to
do and he did it.. He spoke hurriediy
to his head boy The boy without hest
tation obeyed him. He ran to the racing
camel applied a kick, flung on the sad
die bags stuffed dates and dried f1sh ana
two water bottles into them ana Walteu;
Mahomed walked over to the animal and
mounted.
stop The white man leveled his
rife. Get down from there!
Mahomed as If he had not heard, Kicked
the camel with his heels: The beast
lurched to It's feet resentfully. Mahomed
picked up the guiding rope which served
as bride. and struck the camel across
the neck.
click! went the hammer of the rife.
and Mahomed was at that moment very
near death. He gave no heed.
No. nor cried Fortune, pushing up
the barrel. Let him go. He was KIND
to me, after his fashion"
Mahomed smiled He had expected this.
and that was why he had gone about the
business unconcernedly.
What do you say? demanded tne
stranger of Ryanne.
Ryanne having no love whatever for
Mahomed. shrugged
'Humph! And you?" to George.
LOT
AN right Two to one. on with you
about these beggars Of yours? What
are you going to do with them?"
..They have been paid. They can go
back"
The moment the camel felt the sand
under his pads he struck his gait east
ward And when the mists and shadows
crept in behind him and his rider. that |
was the last any Of them ever saw OF
Mahomed- El-Gebel. keeper of the holy
Yhiordes in the pashas palace at Bag
dad.
Now. them" said the leader of the
strange caravan, my name Is Acker-
mann, and mine Is a carpet caravan, in
from Khuzistan, bound for Smyrna. How
Take us as far as Damascus" an
swered Ryanne. 1--WE can get on from
there well enough
What's your name? directly
''Ryanne."
And yours?
Fortune Chedsoye."
Next"
Jones"
The humorous brusqueness put a kind
of spirit into them all and they an
swered smilingly.
.'Ryanne and Jones are familiar enough
but Chedsoye is q new one. Here. you!
whirling suddenly upon the boys who
were pressing about. He volleyed some
Arabic at them and they dropped back.
well. I've heard some strange yarns
L,~& = t. &C.
them all Shanghaied from Cairo.
Humph. II some one had told me this.
anywhere else but here. I'd have called
him a liar. And you. Mr.. Ryanne. went
that Yhiordes! 1t must have been the
DEVILS own Of job"
1t was" replied Ryanne. laconically.
lie did not know this man Ackermann:
lie had never heard Of him: but he recog-
rized a born leader Of men when he saw
him. Gray haired. lean. bearded. sharp
Of word. quick of action. rude: he saw
il this carpet hunter the same indon-
liable qualities Of the ivory seeker. you
did not stop at Bagdad?' he asked. after
the swift inventory.
srimly Better turn in and sleep; we'll
be on the way at dawn. sharp"
Sleep" Ryanne laughed.
Sleep" echoed George.
Fortune shook her head.
We'll. an hour to let the reaction wear
away" said Ackermann. But you've
got TO sleep. I'm boss now. and you
won't find me an easy one" with HUI
morous glance at the girl.
We are all very happy to be bossed
by you.' she said.
twenty days" Alderman unused
s You're plucky young woman. No
Not even a sigh Of discomfort" put
i'm George. IF 1t hadn't been for her
pluck we'd have gone to pieces just from
worry. Are you Henry Ackermann OF
I'm George p. A. Jones Of Mortimer
& Jones. New York. I've heard Of you;
and God bless you for this nights
work."
Mortimer & Jones? You don't say!
Well. IL this doesn't beat the Dutch
Why. IL you're Robert E. Jones boy, I'll
sell YOU every carpet in the pack at cost.
to hear. dry and harsh though 1t was
Your dad was fine gentleman. and
one of the best judges of his time. You
couldn't fool him a knot. He wrote me
when you came into this world Of sin and
tribuation. Didn't they call you Percival
.Algernon. or something like THAR"
They did," And George laughed. too.
You're q sight. Any one sick? Got a
medicine chest aboard
NO, only banged up and discouraged.
say. Mr.. Ackermann. got an extra pipe
or two and some 'baccy?"
Flanagan, see what's In the chest"
Shortly Flanagan returned. He had
half a dozen fresh corncob pipes and a
ihick bag Of tobacco. George and Ryanne
lighted up. about as near contentment as
two men in their condition could pos
sibly be.
Said Flanagan to Fortune: do you
chew?''
Fortune looked Mortified.
'Oh, i mean gum" roared Flanagan.
No. Fortune did not possess, that dubi-
Gus accomplishment.
Mighty handy when you're thirsty"
Flanagan advised.
They built up the fire and sat round Ii
cozily. They were all more or less happy,
all except Fortune. So long as she had
been captive OF Mahomed she had
forced the thought from her mind; but
now 1t came back with a full measure
Of misery. Never. never would she re-
turn to Mentone. not even for the things
that were rightfully hers. Where would
she 60 and what would she do? She was
without money. and the only thing she
possessed Of value was the Soudanese
trinket Ryanne had forced upon her that
day In the baZaars. She heard the men
talking and laughing. but without sensing
No, she could not accept charity. She
must fight out her battle all alone. .
The child of thief-for never would her
clear mind accept smuggling as other
than thieving. -" Neither could she &C
cept pity: and she stole a glance at
George. as he blew clouds OF smoke lux
uriantly from his mouth and nose, his
eyes half closed in ecstasy. How little 1t
"a