Holbrook argus., 1912-03-19

service to any extent" I answered.
 The woman's attitude, which had | been of measured hostility. suddenly altered.
 q believe you," she cried. T do not care who you are. There is five i minutes yet before we need start. Sit down; will be brief. If at the end of my narrative you decide that l am not worthy of aid"
 Tt Is not necessary to tell me-" l protested.
 She flushed But do not choose to be beggar under false pretenses," she cried. T am the Princess Kha- dijah Kassim. see the name conveys no meaning to you"
 "On the contrary" 1 answered, "the name of Khadijah Kassim's father was famous in the Punjaub."
 You have been in India?" she cried.
 q was an officer in the Indian army
 Nothing could be better. Listen, then, and will be as speedy as pos sible. When my father was old he foresaw that upon his death, since he
 had no son, Prince Rakkim Khan would seize upon the throne of Belu- chistan. The prince demanded my hand in marriage in order to obtain the throne with me. To avoid him, my father sent me to Paris to be edu' cated, together with my maid here, in
 convent There we spent five years
 together. Meanwhile he begged the
 British government to declare pro-
 tectorate over his kingdom and to
 acknowledge me as his heir. The ne-
 gotiations dragged. My father died
 suddenly last November. Rakkim
 Khan sent troops into Beluchistan and
 seized the throne. Then, having se-
 cured his position, he came boldly to
 London to justify himself with the
 British government. You have heard
 he was here?"
 The papers had been full of the visit
 of this eastern prince; had vied with
 one another in publishing stories of
 his magnifcence, his cruelty, his
 chivalry, his eccentricities-above all,
 his passion for chess. Only that day, knew, he had had an interview with
 the king.
 "On the way he sent envoys to
 Paris. They presented forged ere dentials from my father, of whose , death I was unaware. I went with them; they delivered me into the princess hands in this house, to which
 [ came expecting to meet my father.
 He holds me here in captivity and
 every day he plaques me to marry him, to place his right to the throne . beyond dispute. And his old abbot '. disputes with me upon the duties oi our religion, showing how a woman , may have no say against such :, suitor."
 |, had heard of the abbot too, the f fanatical Mullah of Seistan, who had I much the same rank among the Mo ! hammedan hierarchy as bishop holds E with us.
 , "This afternoon, in the fog, learned f that a way of escape lay open. The P slave who guards me accompanied his r master. The prince was oversure o :. me. Help me to fly to my own coun |. try and will reward you richly"
 When will the prince return?" !. asked
 At any moment" she replied !. wringing her hands.
 Q Yet she remained there helplessl! i and seemed to make no effort to es I cape. It would have been inexplicabl' h in European; but I understood hoy if far divorced is the life of an orienta
 lady from all action. Accustomed t O have their every move anticipated b,
 a host of slaves, in moments of peri I when they have to shift for them
 selves, they seem to be affected by Is sort of paralysis.
 e Come, then" I exclaimed imps 'e tiently. I snatched up a fur travelin t. cloak which perceived lying upon ID chair, and wrapped 1t around her. Sh D. turned to her grip, in which she ha l! been trying to pack some foolish an
 unnecessary articles; big doll, swee ,e meats, g. dog collar studded wit lv pearls. I took the portmanteau frol ,e her by force. There is no time fc Id It." said. "This way!" And fairl m hustled the two women into the co d. ridor and, taking each by one arm, d. ve scended the stairs with them. At tt " bottom the maid seemed to take cou d. age; she released herself and, ru mn ming ahead, opened the door whic ng communicated with the garden. ,b- was night, and the fog was clearing a stars shone faintly through the movir
 wrack. A carriage rolled up to the e he trance and stopped. We ran down u Inf garden and pulled at the gate whiC m. led into the street. It swung bat to and, blocking the entrance, saw Ra he kim Khan Himself and the Mullah. Nv his green turban.
 ar. An evil smile swept across Il Pul princes features. He understood u nd situation perfectly. Twice in ol rI day!" heard him mutter in Punjaul ne though I did not understand the si ,k. nifcance of the phrase. For one m