Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1912-11-27
CHAPTER x.
Mahomed LAUGHS.


The drawing back of Ryanne's pow
erful arm was produced by the stimu-
lus of self-preservation; but almost
| instantly thought dominated impulse,
and all indications of belligerency dis
appeared. The arm sank, relaxed. 1t
was not possible nor polite that Ma
homed-El-Gebel meant to take repris-
al in this congested quarter. 1t would
have gained him no advantage what
ever. And Ryannes perception Of the
exact situation enabled him to smile
with the cool effrontery of man in
ured to sudden dangers.
We'll, we'll! So you have found
your way to Cairo, Mahomed?"
Yes, effendi," returned Mahomed,
with a smile that answered Ryanne's
in thought and expression, the only
perceivable difference being in the &C.
centuated whiteness of his fine teeth.
Yes, have found you"
And you have been looking for
me?"
Surely"
Ryanne, with an airy gesture, signi
fed that he wished to enter his car
riage Mahomed, with a movement
equally light, implied his determine
ton to stand shis ground.
in a moment, effendi," he said
smoothly.
Mahomed spoke English more or
less 1uently. His career Of forty-odd
years had been most colorful. Once a
young sheik of the desert, of ample
following, series of tribal wars left
him unattached, a wanderer without
tent, village or onion-patch. He had
first appeared in Cairo. Here he had
of necessity picked up few words Of
English; and from laborer in the cot
ton fields he was eventually graduated
to the envied position Of dragoman or
guide. He tired Of this, being Tomadic
by instinct and inclination. He tried
his hand at rugs in Smyrna, failed. and
found himself stranded in CONSTANT
nopIe. He drifted, became steve
dore, hotel porter, burying his pride
till that moment when he could, in
dignity and security, resurrect 1t. For
tune, hanging fire, relented upon his
appointment as cavass or messenger
to the British Consulate. After
time. he became what he considered
prosperous; and like all fanatic pa
gans Of his faith, proposed to recon
struct his religious life by a pilgrim
age to Holy Mecca. While there, he
had performed considerable service
in behalf of the future Pasha Of Bag
dad. who thereafter gave him place
in his retinue.
Mahomed was not only proud but
wise: and a series of events, sequences
Of his own shrewdness, pushed him
forward till he became In deed, il not
in fact. the Pasha's right-hand man IN
Bagdad. That quaint city, removed as
II 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;
and 1t Is not charging upon fact to
saw that when he deems it necessary
to lop off a head, he does so, without
consulting his master in CONSTANT
uople. II is all In the business OF
day. Next to his celebrated pearls and
rose diamonds, the Pasha held as bis
most precious treasure, the Holy
Yhiordes. And for its loss Mahomed
knew that his own head rested but in
securely upon his lean neck. That his
star was still in ascendancy he be-
Heved. The Pasha would not be In
Pagdad for many weeks. The revolu-
ion in Constantinople, the success of
he Young Turk party, made the
Pasha's future incumbency a matter Of
| conjecture. While he pulled those