The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1917-03-09

| uOWn the steep SOpe-Hed without an.
other word. apparently without thought
or his MASTER the laden pack animal.
his own donkey, even his wages.
The last Dick saw Of his servant was
Il slim white shadow streaking across
the plain far below. Ii Disappeared I'm
IA grove Of tamarinds. Over In the far
east lay the blue haze shat was Con-
stantinople. Beyond that was the Bos-
pOrus
| THE silver shawl!' Dick laughed
oddly and looked over ut the scattered
group of houses called FL Drogor
What was there in the mention of the
silver shawl that had sent Alschid fly.
Ing In such blind, unreasoning terror?
Was 1t some native superstition? He
resolved to keep his own counsel about
the silver shawl until he came face to
face with Achmed Haroun. whom
Brown had mentioned as the keeper of
| the shawl.
bright eyed lad poked an inquisi.
tive head around bush. and Dick
hired him to stay and watch the horses.
Then. with the laden pack animal in
train. he entered the village and in
quired the way to the house of Achmed
HarOun
Achmed Haroun was not dealer in
silken shawls. as might have been ex.
pected. He was beater Of gold and
silver and copper, and his tiny cave.
like shop followed out Of the rock of
the hillside showed shelves of exquis.
itely wrought and pierced metal work.
He was working on the handle of
scimitar. striking tiny musical blows
with minute tools. His long white
beard was tied up on knot out of the
way, and his turban showed the green
emblem Of pilgrimage to Mecca.
SIS this the house of Achmed Ha
roun?" asked Dick. bending his tall
head to enter the doorway.
The old Turk bowed gravely and
pointed to the rug before his low ia
BILE.
'Be seated. Effendi," he said courte-
ously.
"You are n maker of sha wls?" asked
Dick. sitting down and lighting cigar.
Achmed shook his head. II am a
beaten Of metals" he said. with n sort
Of naughty pride.
Perhaps I've made a mistake. I'm
sure Brown said 1t was the house Of
Achmed HarouT," muttered Dick.
"Buroun? You speak of Effendi Blu.
roun?" demanded the old man eagerly.
Eyes: he said to tell you to show me
the silver shawl"
A silence fell upon the little shop.
Acnmed's wrinkled hands fell nerve
lessly to the table. The little tools
tinkled as they scattered; 1t almost
seemed as though the two men ceased
to breathe. Achmed's eyes glowed
like twin Goals Of fire: his pasty face
was drawn In fear.
Dick sat rigidly. wondering what had
happened to paralyZe Achmed with
fear. Was It the same terror that had
sent Alschid with flying feet toward
home? Was 1t the mention Of the sill
YER shawl? What strange thing was
this that galvanized one man and para
lyzed another?
"Well?" lie snapped sharply.
Still Achmed stared with burning
eyes that bored right through the Amer
leans silk shirt collar.
Dick unjonted his tall form. How
about the silver shawl?" he asked
irasciby.
"Hushr' Achmeds voice Kissed
through the oNll You really-mean
IT, he quavered.
""Why. yes. It's what I came for"
Return at sundown." advised Ach.
med KNOCK thrice at my door. Ef
fcndi."'
Very we'll" And Dick went reluc.
family.
At sunser or few minutes after the
faithful had turned their faces toward
Mecca. Dick Knocked three times at
the closed door of Achmed's shop. It
opened noiselessly. and he entered to
find the shop dark. but q light shin.
ing through parted curtains at the
back. The light came from lamp
placed far down the length of Il mar.
row corridor that seemed to lead into
the heart of the hill.
Achmed was standing by the lamp.
his beard gripped tightly in one wrlf.
kled hand. his black eyes blazing with
some inward fire.
"You see. ! am on time" remarked
| Dick.
-"Encndi is overanXiOus." remarked
| Achmcd dryly. Follow me-" He led
| the way down cross passage and
turned again into damp. earthy
smelling room. The bcamed ceilings
sagged rs with the weight of earth
above them.
"Rather damp place to keep
| shawls." criticised Dick when the
rough door had closed behind them
He felt vague feeling of uneasness
in this underground place. He was
glad he had fully armed himself. lie
! told himself rather grimly that he
should have remembered that Pliny
Brown would not have sent him to any
place for any good. Instinct prompt
ed him to suspect treachery.
my shawl does not mind the damp
ness" whined Achmed as he burrowed
in a carved chest in one corner.
as 1t for sale?'
"You mean the silver sbawl?"
"Of course. Do you want to sell it?"
n al Tl.ssw all