The Ordway new era., 1916-06-09

| the khedfve's court before, Tor Ican6nt
the SNUG, smiling little man by the
| throat with my left hand and drew my
sword. saw the complacency upon
| his face turn to terror The beggars
| looked up from their meditations anu
cackled.
Now, you blackguard, run and tell
| his highness that unless he receives
me Instantly shall slit his throat" !
roared. in Indignation which required
very little affectation to produce its ef'
| feet. Such is the vanity of man that
at that moment felt like Kitchener; l
acted as the Kitchener of legend would
have acted.
The little man flung himself upon
his knees.
| "Pardon--pardon, your eNcellency.
for Allah's sake, put away your
sword!' he pleaded. Il am at my Wits
end. ! don't know what to do.
haven't seen his highness since last
night. He told me to admit nobody
but"
| But Essad Pasha!" cried Atterbury.
"How long has he been closeted with
him?'
| Half an hour" stammered the little
| secretary, terribly frightened.
l swung the little man to his feet
and whipped him across the shoulders
with the fiat of my blade.
Il will speak to his highness!" !
cried. Walk and show me the way
| to his apartments! At once, or ! will
spit you like the Nile crow you are!"
The little secretary preceded me,
| shaking like an aspen leaf. Behind
US the funkies. terror-stricken, had
gathered, and stood chattering like a
flock of DAVIS. ! heard q buzz of ex-
cited speech upon the stairs. AS half
turned at the entrance to the second
| anteroom, l saw the frock-coated Hill.
mi Pasha peer around the jamb of the
outer door, He caught n0 eye and dis
appeared in a twinkling.
1t occurred to me then for the first
time that the Egyptian cabinet had as
sembled to read me proclamation of
Egyptian independence. but that my
warlike attitude toward their leader
had decided them to let me hear it
from the khedive's own lips. Doubt
less some coup was on the point of
execution. But was at the source of
the plot.
The flunkies who guarded the ap-
proaches to the several rooms fed in
abject terror as advanced, my threat
ening sword point at the back of the
little secretary. Now we were in a
wing of the palace. An immense open
space. carpeted with costly rugs, the
walls concealed behind a multitude of
sweet-scented Towering plants, gave
upon number of doora. Black Nu-
bian slaves, on guard, sprang to their
feet and stared at us In CONSERVATION,
rolling their expressive eyes. Their
terror was not less than that of the
flunkies behind US. And all through
the palace there resounded that buz-
zing murmur. as though my every act
had already become known every
where.
There was no need to ask which
were the khedive's apartments. The
look upon each slave told ME. I flung
the little secretary from me and strobe
to the high doors bearing the khedive's
monogram in Arabic upon each panel.
And in my eagerness to complete my
task. lost all fear.
"Open!" i shouted, hammcring with
my sword hilt.
hammered and shouted; and sud.
denly the door was flung open, and
two figures stood before me. Ore was
that of a young man of military bear
ing. but now looking anything but mar
tial as he stood humbly before the
other. a tall figure with a turban
round his head and attired in the loose,
flowing garments which his highness
affects at home. Instantly every slave
was on his face.
knew his highness at once. thrust
past the other figure. and. pulling the
document from its silken case. pushed
| 1t beneath the khedive's nose.
You have put an insult upon Great
Britain's representative in Egypt"
cried, in French. You shall put your
signature to this pledge of neutrality
Immediately, or protectorate will be
proclaimed in Carol"
The khedive looked at me. and
seemed to wilt away.
Come in, your excellency!" he NUT
tered, in apologetic tones. "You will
not humiliate me before my servants?' p
followed him inside the room, q
spacious library with desk at which
he had evidently been seated with the
general, for two half-consumed cigar
still smoked upon their trays. At g
door at the farther end saw the spec
tacled face Of pale young Egyptian
secretary.
"Go!" shouted The khedive, ii
Arabic and the man disappeared noise
lessly. The khedive motioned to me
to be seated. But stood up before
him. / laid the document upon hi
desk.