Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-10-26
TALES OF SECRET EGYPT BY SAX RON
<HE ''duhr." or monday call to
prayer. had 5ust sounded from
the ruinarets' Of the mosques Of
Kalaun and EN-. Nasir, and I

W80 UONuB WV hCBh0scsc SeASS~ ~
the 'tdaa" upon the occupants OF the
neighbo~ine shops~-coppersmishs for the
most part-when suddenly my errant
attention became arrested.
A mendicant OF unwholesome aspect
. crouched in the shadow Of the narrow
gateway at the entrance to the gold
and silver bazaar, having its one serv-
iceable eye fixed in a malevolent' stare
upon some one Immediately behind me.
1t is part and parcel Of my difficult
profession to subdue all impulses and
- to think before acting. / slipped my
coffee and selected a fresh cigarette
from the silver box upon the rug be-
side me. In this interval had decided
that the one-eyed mendicant cherished
murderous hatred for my genial 0iend,
Ali Nohammed, the dealer in antiques.
Turning casually to Ali Mohammed,
was startled to observe the expression
upon his usually .mmobile face; he was
positively gray, ard thought I detected
a faint rafting sound, apparently pro-
1uced by his teeth; his eyes were set as
II by hypnosis upon the uncleanly figure
huddled in the shadow of the low gate.
For some reason said distinctly,
'.you are In deadly, fear of the wall-eyed
mendicant who is sitting by the gate Of
tho Suk -es- Saigh, o Ali Mohammed, my
friend
turned with assured carelessness
The beggar of murderous appearance
had vanished, and Ali Mohmmed was
slowly recovering his composure. 1
knew that / must act quickly or he
would deny with the urbane mendacity
OF the Egyptian all knowledge Of the
one-eyed one; therefore
"Acquaint me with the reason of your
apprehension" I said, at the same time
Offering him one Of his own cigarettes;
lit may be that I can assist you"
1T Is one Of the people Of Tir." he
whispered. bending close to my ear; ''of
the evil ginn who are the creatures of
Abu Tabah'
I.was puzzled aid expressed my doubt
in words.
Alas replied Ali Mohammed, 1.-The
Imam Abu Tabah is neither a man nor
an official; he Is a magician"
Indeed! Then you speak of one
bearing the curious name OF Abu Tabah,
who is at once the holder of a holy office
and also one who has dealings with the
ginn and the Effects. This is strange,
Ali Mohammed, my friend''
ut is strange and terrible" he
whispered, land fear that my path is
beset with pitfalls and slopeth down to
desolation."
Sorely puzzled as was by this most
mysterious happening, yet / knew that
the incident was closed SO far as conf
dence were concerned; and l presently
took my departure, my mind filled with
all sorts Of odd conjectures by which
I sought to explain the matter. was
used to the superstitions Of that quarter
where almost every gate and every sec
ond street has its guardian ginnee. but
who and what was Apu Tabah? An
imam. apparently. though to what
mosque attached Ali Mohammed had
rot mentioned. And why did Ali Mo
manned fear Abu Tabah?
SO my thoughts ran more or less I'M
governed. while made my way
through streets, narrow and tortuous In
the direction Of the Rondpoint du Musk
saw no more of the wall-eyed mendi-
can't; but in a court hard by the Mosque
OF el-Ashraf found myself in the midst
Of a squabbling crowd Of natives sur
rounding some one whom gathered.
from the direction of their downward
glances. to be prone upon the ground
Since the byways of. the Suk- ell Attarin
are little frequented by Europeans, at
midday. thrust my way into the heart
OF the, throng. thinking that some stray
patron Of Messrs. Cook & Son EGYPT
Ltd.)) might possibly have got into
trouble or have been overcome by the
heat.
Who or what lay at the heart Of that
gathering I never learned. l was still
some distance from the center of the
disturbance when an evil smelling sack
was whipped over my head and shoulders
from behind. hand ciapped upon my
mouth and jaws; and. lifted in muscu-
lar arms. I found myself being borne
inarticulate' down stone steps, as /
gathered from the sound, into some cool
cellarlike place.
was deposited upon a stone paved
floor and my wrists were neatly pin
toned behind me by one Of my captors,
while another hung on to my ankles.
The sack was raised from my body but
not from my face; and while a hand
was kept firmly pressed over the region
Of my mouth, nimble fingers turned my
pockets inside out. assumed at first
that 7 had fallon, trtr tho ,l,,x,A>~ -