The Washington times., 1922-07-01
He had zone TO the desert avery


turn with greater reluctance. He
was always afraid that the call OF
civilization would be too much for
his adopted son, especially as he
grew older, but although Ahmed
had changed very much from the
wild desert lad who had first come
to us. and had developed into ool.
ished man Of the world. speaking
French and English as fluentiy as
Arabic. with plenty Of means 20
amuse himself In any way that he
wished--for the Sheils was very
rich and kept him lavishly supplied
with money-and though in .hat
last year he was with us he was
courted and feted in n way that
would have turned most peoples
= heads, he was always secretiy
longing for the time when he would
20 back to the desert. 1t was .he'
desert. not civilization that called
loudest to him. He loved the LIE
and he adored the man whom hr
thought was his father. To be the
son and heir OF Ahmed Ben Hassan
seemed to him to be the highest
pinnacle that any mans ambition
could reach. He was perfectly In.
different to the flattery and atteh.
tion that his money and his good
looks brought him. My father en-
tertained very largely and Ahmed
became the fashion-'Le bel Araos'
he was called. and he enjoyed y
success fou' which bored him to ex.
tinction-and at the end of the
year. having written to the Sheik
shook the dust OF Paris off his feet
and went back to the desert.
went with him. 1t was my first
visit and the first time that I mad
experienced Ahmed en- prince.
had never seen him in anything
but European clothes. and I got
quite a shock when I came up on
deck the morning that we arrived
at Oran and found an Arab of the
Arabs waiting for me. The robes
and a complete change OF carriage
and expression that seemed to go
with them altered him curiouSly
and hardly recognized him. Some
Of his men were waiting for him
on the quay and their excitement
was extraordinary. realized from
the Difference and attention that
the French officials paid to Ahmed
the position that the old Sheik had
made for himself and the high es.
TEEN in which he was held. We
spent the rest OF the day In 1r.
ranging for the considerable bag.
gage that he had brought with him
to be forwarded by the camel cara.
van that had been sent for the pur-
pose, and also in business for the
Sheik in Oran. We spent the
night in a villa on the oulskirts Of
the town belonging to an old Arab
who entertained US lavishly, and
who spent the evening congratu-
lating Ahmed heartily on having
escaped from the clutches Of the
odious French, by no means
abashed when Ahmed pointed out
that there was an odious French
man present, for he dismissed me
with a gesture that conveyed tha:
my nationality was my misfortune
and not my fault. and in impress.
ing on him the necessity Of imme.
diately acquiring a wife or two and
settling down for the good Of the
tribe-all this In the intervals Of
drinking coffee, listening to the
most mcnotonous native music
and watching barbaric dances.
There was one particularly VEL.
made dancing girl that the old man
tried to induce Ahmed to buy, and
he made a show Of bargaining for
her-not from any real interest he
took in her, but merely to see the
effect that It would have on me.
But ! refused to be drawn, and
as my head was reeling with the
atmosphere I escaped to bel and
left him still bargaining. We started
early next morning. and were
Joined few miles out Of the town
by a big detachment Of followers.
The excitement Of the day before
was repeated on a very much larger
scale. II was a novel experience
for me, and can hardly describe
my feelings in the midst of that
yelling horde Of men, galloping
wildly round us and firing their
rifles until II seemed hardly posi-.
BILE that some accident would not
happen. 1t was Ahmed's attitude
that impressed me most. He took
It all quietly as his due. and when
he had had enough of 1t stopped
II with a peremptory authority
that was instantly obeyed, and
apologied for the exuberant be.
havior OF his children. It was a
new Ahmed to me; the boy had
for fn,,r vaoro cAava,.l