Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-09-02

My dear CavanaGh:
1t has now become apparent to me
that my life is in imminent danger.
You know of the inexplfcable outrages
which marked my homeward journey
and II this letter comes to your hand
It will be because these have culmi-
mated in my death.
The idea of a pursuing scimitar is
not new to me. This phenomenon.
which 1 have now witnessed three
times is fairly easy Of explanation. but
its Significance Is singular. 1t is said
to be one of the devices whereby the
Hashishin warn those whom they have
marked for destruction. and is called
in the east The scimishr of Hassan.
THE Hashishin were the members of
q Moslem secret society. founded in
1880 by one Hassan of Khorassan.
There 10 q persistent tradition in parts
of the orient that this sect still -four
ishes in Assyria, under the rule OF
certain Hassan Of Aleppo. the Sheikhal-
Jeoal, or supreme lord of the Hashishfn.
My careful inquiries. however. at the
time that 1 was preparing matter for
my Assyrian Mythology failed to dis
cover any trace of such a person or
such q group.
IT accordingly assumed Hassan to be
a myth first cousin to the Jim.
was wrong. He exists. And by my
supremely rash act 1 have incurred his
vengeance. for Hassan of Aleppo is the
self-appointed guardian OF the tradi-
lions and relics of Mohammed. And 1
have stolen one of the holy slippers Of
the prophet!
He. with some of his servants. has
followed me from Mecca to England.
tain the relic. but you have seen what
fate befell all those others who even
touched the receptacle containing 1T.
III fall q victim to the Hashishin
will fare. Therefore. I have locked the
slipper in my safe and to you intrust
the key. 1 append particulars of the
lock combination. but j warn you-do
not open the safe. II their wrath be
visited upon you your possession Of the
key may prove a safeguard.
II wish to say that the gentleman
known to you as Ahmad Ahmadeen is in
no way connected with those who seek
my life.
Take the copy of Assyrian Mythol-
ogy You will find in 1t all that l have
learned respecting the Hashishin. II
am doomed to be assassfnated. 1t may
aid you. IL not in avenging me. in saw
never see you again. cloud of horror
settles upon me like a pail. Do not
touch the slipper. nor the case
EDWARD DEEPING."
Bristol returned the letter to me
without a word and. turning to Lester
who had re-entered carrying heavy
pick-ax. he attacked the oblong box
with savage energy. Inc ooA ieii "
pieces.
MY God, Look. sir
Lester was the trembling speaker.
The box. 1 have said. was but three
feet long by one foot square. and had
clearly defied poor Deeping's efforts To
open 1t. But a crescent shaped knife
wet with blood. lay within.
Dimly. to my ears came the ceaseless
murmur of London. The night was
now far advanced. and not sound dis
turbed the silence of the court below
my window.
Prof. DeepinE's Assyrian Mythology
lay open before me. beside it my note
book.
When after assisting. or endeavoring
to assist. Bristol at his elaborate in
quiries. l had at last returned to my
chambers, 1 had become the victim OF
Finally. as ! entered the hall and
mounted the darkened stairs. l glanced
down from the first landing into the
black well beneath.
Blazing yellow eyes, l thought, look Cd
up at me.
1 will confess that I leaped up the
remaining flight Of stairs to my door
and. safely within. found myself tremb-
ling as il with a palsy.
When l sat down to write for sieeI
was an impossible proposftion) i placed
my revolver upon the table beside me
l cannot say why.
MY conclusions, mus TAR, amounted
to the following:
The apparition of the phantom scimi-
tar was due to the presence of some
one who. by means of the moonlight
or of artificial light. cast a reflection
of such a weapon as that found in the
oblong chest upon the wall of darken-
ed apartment: as Deeping's stateroon
on the Mandalay, his study. etc.
A group of highly efficient ASA ssins
evidently Moslem fanatics. who might
or might not be of the ancient order
of Hashishin. had pursued the stolen
slipper to England. They had severed
any hand. other than that of believer
which had touched the case containing
it. (The Coptic porter was Christian
Uncertain. possibly. of Deepings
faith, or fearful of endangering the
success of their efforts by an outrage
upon him. en- route. they had refrained
from this until his arrival at his house
He had been warned of his impending
end by Ahmad Ahmadeen.
Who was Ahmadeen? And who was
his beautiful associate? / found my
self unable, at present, to answer either
of these questions.
In order to gain access to Prof. Deep
ing. who so carefully secluded himself
a box had been sent to him by ordinary