Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-12-16


OF white linen in his hand, and then.
apparently by lightning, she secreted
the gold. and with the silver shining
in her dark palm she came closer to
him. urging him for another shilling,
another shilling for having picture
made. In an undertone she demand
ed. ut is yese Shall say yes to the
lady?"
Yes. yes. yes" said Billy, des-
perately. to whatever the unknown
message might be Take note to
her for me?. he demanded. starting
to scribble one, but she drew back
with n lquick negation, and as
sound came from the palace she
slipped back thru the door and was
gone like shadow when o blind is
thrown open.
Only the crumpled pttie ball OF
linen remained in Biliy's hand. He
Strengthened II out, 1t was lady's
handkerchief. dainty thing, dell
cate scented. In the corners were
marvels Of sheer embroidery and
among the. leaves he found the initial
he WAS seeking. 1t was the letter
B.
AS ne stared down on 1t. that
tiny. telltale initial his face went
white under Its tan and his mouth
compressed TIL all the humor and
kindliness OF II were lost In a line of
stark grimness And then he swung
on his heel and packed up his paint-
ing kit in q fury ~ haste, and with
one last, upturned look .at those
knocking windows. he was off down
the road like shot.
There we're Just two things to do.
The first was to discover the mes
sac hidden In those unknown words.
The second was TO do exactly as
that message bade.
CHAPTER NJ
Two oil lamps nared in the little
coffee- house. In one circle Of yellow
light two beared Sheiks were play
ing dominoes with imperturbable
gravity; the other lamp flickered ov-
err an empty table beneath which
the thin, flea bitten legs OF ragged
urchin were showing In the oblivion
of his tired sleep. In the shadow
beyond sat young American with
keen, impatient face. and a one eyed
Arab shrouded in a huge burnoqs
Il make fine draeomar,?' the Arab
was saying proudly. This ID very
old coffee house. Many things hap
pen here. YER strang--"
Eyes, but TIM sick Of the doggone
place" said Billy. Il can't sit still
and swallow coffee any longer. Can't
we start now?"
Too tsoon--to soon before the time.
You say teng Come. we so next door.
Nice place next door, perhaps dance
ing. maybe.
There was noise enough next door,
certainly. to promise dancing. The
strident notes OF Oriental music came
shrieking out the open. doorway, but
as Billy stepped within and stared
over the heads Of the squatting
throng, he saw no sinewy dancers,
but only, two tiny girls in bright
coiors huddled YEARLY against the
wall. The music which was absorb
ing every look came from the brazen
throat Of q huge instrument in the.
corner. ~ 80 -.
Lords phonosraphi" thought
the young man in disgust. resenting
this intrusion -of the genius of his
race into foreign fields.
The squatting men. their dark lips
parted in pleased smiles, were too in
tent upon the innovation to turn at
his entrance. but the little girls
caught sight of him and ran forward,
begging clamorously, their bracelets
clanking on their outstretched arms.
With q little silver he tried to soft
en- the vigor Of the one-eyed mans
mismissal. 'This cheap place-no
good dancers any more" the Arab
uttered in disgust. NEW man here
no good. Maybe next door better
seh 2" II
But next door was only flight OF
steps and q lone little doh of SEN
tinel, painted and hing like be-
dizened idol, Only the dark eyes in
the tinted sockets We're alive. and
these turned curiously after the
strange young white man who had
dropped i. ct,fn into her outstretched
hand and passed on ~ tprriedly
I doni want any MORE of these
joints Billy was saying vehemently
to his harassed guide. ''It's dark as
the Styx now.--lets be on our way
The street they were on was mar
row enough for any antiquarian, but
the one into which the Arab guide
now turned was SO narrow that the.
jutting bays of the houses seemed.
pushing their faces impudcptly
against their neighbors. A voice. in
one room could haye been heard as
-clearly in the ono over, the way 1T
was a mean little street, squalid and
poor and pitiful. but it maintained
its stripped dignities Of !, screened
windows. and isolation 1t was bet.
ter not to wonder Whit nights We're
like in those women's looms in sim
mer heat
The lane ike path stopped at al
rickety sort Of wharf, and at their
approach a black head bodied quick
ly UP from a waiting boat. 1t was
the little boy who had Swallowed the
captain that day-reporting his ar
rival at the Khedivial palace-and
he climbed out now and sat on the,
wharf, watching curiously while Bill
ly and his guide bestowed themselves
in the long canoe, and pushed silent
ly away.
It was an eerie bael1water in which
they Were padding, q sluggish
stream which moved between dark
houses. Sometimes it scraped against
their sides and tapped their balloon
les: sometimes it was held in check