Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1915-06-25

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suringly. Il am myself a man of
strong imagination. Besides, your ex-
cellency's reputation for exactness is
so well known"
The ambassador bowed with compla-
cence.
You wish me to proceed? 1t is
we'll
Il made my way, as have told you,
into the Turkish quarter. Avoiding the |
region of the baZaars, which at this |
! hour were closed, | turned my steps |
into that in which the pashas have |
their superb residences, a region in
tersected at long intervals by narrow
and solitary lanes, running between
blank walls, with here and there a lit
tie postern gate artfully introduced
beneath the ivy. was sauntering
slowly down one of these lanes when
perceived in front of me, at a point
where the shadow of a tall lick fell
across the white surface of the road,
a group of those dogs which infest
Constantinople. They were quarreling
over some object which lay on the
roadway in the center of the black
patch of shadow. Save for the pres
ence Of the dogs the whole neighbor-
hood appeared to be absolutely de-
serted
Il advanced toward the spot, en-
deavoring to make out the nature of
the object which had attracted these
carnivorous brutes. AS / got nearer
/ perceived it to be a slipper of the
pattern usually worn in Turkey. My
, curiosity was now strongly reused.
stepped into the midst of the growing
ours, and drove them off with a few
blows of stick which carried. Then
+ ! stopped down to pick up this mys
} ferrous object
mo sooner had my hand touched
1t than / started back with veritable
human foot!
MY first impulse on making this ter
l rible discovery was to turn and fly
from the place But a dreadful fasci
: nation. which l could not overcome,
r rooted me to the spot, and even com.
PEELED me to make closer examina-
ton. l stopped down, peering in the
dim light, and asking myself with a
a beating heart how this severed foot
? had come to be exposed there on that
r lonely path, as IL it were the damning
|, evidence of some strange crime.
: las l gazed at it thus, l became
!, aware that the foot had for some time
]. ceased to bleed. 1t had been cut off
= at the ankle, and the dry blood was
e beginning to CONCEAL over the severed
s veins and arteries. / looked on the
ground beside it for stains of blood,
p but not one was visible. l extended
It my circle, and scrutinized all round il
e with care, but the result was the same
i "Of one fact was now positively as.
E. sured. This foot which | beheld on
i. the ground had not been cut off the
human being to whom it belonged al
Of this place, nor perhaps anywhere in
t. the neighborhood. 1t had been brought
la here, doubtless, under the influence Of
lie some strong fear, by one who felt il
le necessary to rid himself of its posses
n sion without moments delay.
Of This was not my first lesson in the
Of barbarity of oriental customs; there
lie were dark stories floating about Con
| stantinople, beneath the surface, Of
le men, some of them foreigners of high
to rank. who had ventured into forbidden
h precincts. and suffered the most horri
st BILE retaliation at the hands of eunuchs
In the service of a revengeful Moslem
sp Strangely agitated, almost before
IN realized what was doing, bent down
~ and picking up the slipper carried i
ed out OF the shadow of the lex tree, int,
hn full
lc- what 1t contained.
q do not ask me to describe the sigh
of which met my eyes, and which com
lis pleted the horror Of the entire incident
The foot which held in my hand wa
/ unlike any other foot which had eve
IN seen-unlike any human foot.
te. drnpped the frightful thing on to tn
It's ground. averted my eyes, and ne
IN from the accused place."
IN At this point the ambassador inter
ar rupted himself to order the waiter
he. who had already served our coffee. t
Sc bring cognac as we'll
at Il had retraced my steps almost a
De- far as the Golden Horn" he proceeded
when discovered that was still cal
ie- rying the slipper In my hand. Thinl
lg- ing that 1t might yet prove to be OF in
of portance, thrust 1t hastily inside tn
in folds Of my Turkish robe before PR
hit ceeding. At the same time began t
Is. observe that there was a certain NOV.
US ment In the streets, which was nc
re- common at that hour of the night.
nd saw soldiers about, and, unless m
eyes deceived me, there were NOR
is lights than usual on board the Turl
lis ish warships anchored opposite til
lp- Dolmabacheh palace.
Id Il might have stopped to investigat
lis these symptoms of disturbance, but fC
ng a sudden change which now took plaC
lp, In the atmosphere The great blac
OF clouds which had been gathering frol
It'll one corner of the sky massed then
ia selves overhead, and then suddenl
he split in a binding fissure of forke
m lightning, while a crash of thunde
Ed- shook the towers and roofs OF Stan
boul like an earthquake. Immediatel
he the rain began to descend with th
or weight of an avalanche. and huge boo
elf, instantly formed themselves along Il
'as roads ] rushed through the storm {
di- hest | colIld and raaphad tho aroho..