The Topeka state journal., 1919-12-20

l. For whilst ! could no longer hear
his voice, 1 now could see the words
issuing from his mouth, They formed
slowly and gracefully in the blue clouds
of vapor some four feet above his
head. revealed their meaning TO me
in letters Of gold. and then faded away
toward the cellingi
The project which had led me to
thrust myself into the midst OF this
feast of sorcery vanished from my
mind. desired but one thing: to de-
part, ere reason utterly deserted ma
But, to my horror. I discovered that
my muscles were become rigid bands
OF iron! The figure of Abu Tabah was
drawing hearer: his slowly moving
arms had grown serpentine and his
eyes had changed to pools OF fame
which seemed to summon me. At the
time when this new phenomenon
added itself to the other horrors. I
seemed to be inpelled by an Irresistible
force to jerk my head downward:
heard my neck muscles snap metallic
| ally: I sd1c a scream of agony squirt
forth from my lips and I saw
upon a little ledge Immediately below
the square. window a little 1nibkh1rdh.
or incense burner. which hitherto Z
had not observed. A thick, oily brown
!
perforated lid and bathing my face
clammily. Sense OF smell had none:
but a chuckhnG. demoniacal voics
spoke from the mibkhdroh, saying:
| II am Hdshish;. I drive men mad,
| Whilst thou hast lain up there like a
very fool. 1 have sent my vapors to
thy brain and stolen thy senses from
thee. 1t was for this purpose that 2
was set here beneath the window
where thou couldst not fail to enjoy
the full benefit OF my poisonous per-
| fume. :"
Slipping of the ledge. fen
and darkness closed about me.
My awakening constitutes one Of tie
most painful recpllections of a not un-
eventful career: for, with aching head
and tortured limbs. I sat upright upon
the floor of tiny. stuffy. and uu-
cleanly cell. The only light was that
which entered by way of rt.le graf
ing in the door. I was prisoner;
and, in the same instant that I real
lied the fact Of my incarceration, I
realized also that I had been duped
/ The weird happenings In the apart
ment of Mohammed er- -Rahman Ind
been hallucinations due to my having
inhaled the fumes OF some preparation
of hdsh;sh, or Indian hemp. The cha
acteristic sicl1ly odor Of the drug I'D
been concealed by the pungency o. the
other and more odorferous perfumes:
and because OF the position OF tie
censer containing the burning hdshisH.
no one else in the room had been af-
fected by its vapor. Could it have been
that Abu Tabah had known OF ny
presence from the first?
through the grating into a narrow pas
sage A native constable stood at one
end OF it. and beyond him obtained
a glimpse OF the entrance hall. In
stantly 1 recognized that I was under
arrest at the Bab el-Khalk police sta,
toni
A great rage consumed me. Raising
my fists I banged furiously upon the
door. and the Egyptian policeman came
| running along the passage.
What does this mean, shdtreshf" I
, demanded. why am detained here?
: am an Englishman. Send the super
! intendent to me instantly"
You were brought here last night.
most disgustingiy and speechlessly
drunk, in a cart!" he replied.
Il demand to see the superintend-
, ent."
the man. now thoroughly alarmed. "In
/ an instant, cUendinti"
Such is the magical power OF the
. word 'Ingiisi" (Engiishman).
A painfully perturbed and apolosetic
native official appeared almost imme-
diately, 10 whom I explained that
had been to a fancy dress ball at the
; Gezira Palace Hotel and, injudiciously
walking homewarJ at a late hour. had
been attacked and struck senseless. lie
was anxiously courteous. sending q
, man TO Shepheard's with my written
Instructions to bring back a change
. Of appeared and offering me every
facility for removing my disguise and
making myself presentable. The fact
, that he paipably disbelieved my story
. did not render his corcern one whit
! the less.
discovered the hour to be close
upon noon. and, once more my outward
Il self, 1 was about tn depart from the
! Place Bah ei-Khalk. when. into the
; hsuperintendent's room came Abu
Tabah, Ills handsome ascetic face ex-
hi5ited grave concern as he saluted r1e.
How can ! express my sorrow,
. Kernaby Fasna." he said in his soft
} faultless English. that 30 unfortunate
and unseeinly All accident should have
befallen you: ] learned OF your prrs-
: ence here but a few moments ago.
and I Fastened TO convey to you an
/. assurance Of my deepest regret and
sympatny."
: More thnn good of ecu" ! replied
: Il am much indebted"
: 1t grieves me- iic continued
= suave;y, 10 learn thai there are loot
pads infesting the CAIRO streets. and
= that an English gentleman may not
2 walk home from a bal. safely. 7 trust
that you viii provide :he police with q
, detailed account % spy vaiainDies
4 which you may haze lost. have
e here--thrusting his land into Lis
e robe-"tae only. item y your property
. thus far recoTered. 10 doubt you
( are somewhat short sighted. E,ernaby
Lsasha a. am An. n--r,--innc. & L.