The Topeka state journal., 1919-11-29


evident enough and accounted for his
reluctance to fall in with the new ar
rangement; but my benumbed brain ut
terly failed to grappie with the prob
lem of why. knowing their damning
contents, he had permitted these ten
cases to be delivered at my address.
Moreover. how my worthy neighbor-
who had evidently abducted Mizmuna
from the old man of the scimitar-
had learned my real name was another
mystery which 1 found no leisure to
examine. For had but just set foot
again within the ill-omened place when
there came patter of swift. light foot
steps-and out from behind the fatal
stack of boxes ran Mizmuna. and threw
herself into my arms.
"Oh, my friend. my protectori" she
cried distractedly, what shall I do?
Yussuf has discovered our plot!
Fatimah, that mother of calamities, has
betrayed me, and I dare not return, 1
am an outcast; for although I was
stolen from the Sheikh Ismail without
| my consent, how can I. hope for his
forgiveness?"
5"Yussuf has planned your ruin as
well as mine," she said brokeniy. For
| 1t was he who denounced you to the
| Magician" CAS- "the Magician" Abu
Tabah was known and feared through
, out Lower Egypt.) "Oh. that 1 might
| return to the house of Ismaii where I
| lived in luxury IN a marble pavilion.
| guarded by Hanna and hundred
| negroes, where possessed the robes of
a princess and was laden with costly
| jewelsi"
Fear nothing, child" I said to the
weeping girl. "You shall return to your
/ marble pavilion and to the care of that
worthy, if somewhat hasty man, from
| whose arms you were torn. And now
| inform nowhere is Yussuf %
'.He is in his own room destroying
papers," she said.
who told you this2"
"AH. the bosotodb, who is faithful to
me-and who hates Fatimah,"
lis the trap rebolted?"
II know not"
Remain here until return" said,
| seating her upon one Of the boxes.
Where are my keys?"
Il hid them upon the ledge of the
| window, beside the door yonder.''
Taking them from this simple ibid
| ing-pIaee," I locked the door to give
| Mizmuna courage. and. taking the lamp
with me, began to mount the stairs,
first assuring myself OF the presence in
my pocket of my Colt automatic, which
Abu Tabah had restored to me.
| The ray of my lamp shining out
ahead. came to the crazy ladder CIV
| ing access to the trap. climbed up,
raising the trap, and gazed upon the
| jeweled dome of midnight Egypt. Dire
| necessity spurred me. and I walked
across to the adjoining trap, carefully
| inserted two fingers in the from ring
and pulled.
| 1t was not fastened below. Inch by
| inch 1 raised it, and, finding the room
beneath in darkness. opened the trap
fully and descended the ladder.
1t was a hdshish warehousei
| Taking off my shoes. thrust one
| into either pocket of my coat, and, per-
ceiving that the house was constructed
!, on plan identical with that adjoin-
ing 1t, I crept downstairs to the apart
ment of the nrushrubiyeh window. A
heavy curtain was draped in the door,
| way, but I coulud see that the room
within was Illuminated.
I drew the curtains slowly aside and
peeped in I saw an apartment that
! had evidently been furnished very
luxuriantly, but which now was par
TALLY dismantled. In the recess formed
by the window low table was placed
bearing a shaded lamp. The table was
Uttered with papers, account books and
ledgers; and, seated thereat, his back
towards the door. was a man who
| figured feverishly. I stepped into the
room.
Good evening, Yussuf of Rosetta"
| said: .you do well to set your affairs
| in order .-s
Swiftly as though a serpent had
touched him. Nthe man in the recess
leaped to his feet and twisted about
to confront me.
| 1 found myself looking into hideous,
swarthy face-blanched now to the lips
so that the cunning black eyes .giared
out as from a mask-into the hideous
swarthy face of Joseph MataoFou!
The store of 4hashish in the upper
room had somewhat prepared me for
this discovery; yet, momentarily, the
eonsummate villainy of the Greek had
me bereft of speech. AS stood there
glaring at him, he began furtively to
grope with one hand along the edge OF
l>the diacan behind him. Then, suddenly.
he became aware of the pistol which
I carried-and abandonded the quest of
| whatever weapon he had sought, swal-
i lowing audibly.
so. my good Malaglou, said, you
! sought to make me responsible for
your sins, my friend?- 1 perceive now
how the Fates have played with me.
My very first conversation with yeur
| charming protegee-"
He bit savagely at his black mus
1 tache, advanced upon me; then, his
gaze set upon the Colt. he stood still
again -
/ 80. was reported to yos by the
| fraitorous Fatinlah," / continued
evenly; "and when, on the morrow, I
Z al 8
identity Of the hitherto unknow Romeo
4 who had raised his eyes to your Juliet
became apparent You doubtless had
designed to unpack my boxes for me
as you have been in the habit of doing:
but green-cyed jealously suggested how.
by the sacrifice Of only one eonsign-
ment of hashish, you might wreak my
i ruin. I disapprove of your morals,
! Malaglou. My own code may be pc