Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-18

THAT Is what an hour later, the grocer re.
peated to the citizens in the aksakats
house. adding:
''The information would have been cheaply
purchased-even had the ruby been genuine
which IL was not. II is the very Law to settle
this matter, the law which says that when
community. Hindu Moslem, decides that
man is the enemy of peace any one Hindu O.
Mcslem or Christian, native-born or foreigner,
can challenge him to combaf-by wrestling. mos
steel And II the disturber Of peace be defeated
he must leave, never to return"
"But who is thre," demanded the aksaka&.
"to stand I'D against this Mehmet and de1aat
him?"
EFT" shouted the grocer.
eli" echoed the fruiterer.
Ell 7! II" chimed In tailor and innkeeper and
Q dozen others.
"And T." said Padmayah from the threshold
. OF the inner apartment, "shali be the mcsseneer
and bring the challenge to Mehmet" ~
She did 50 that same day and he replica:
Good! At noon, ia the market square.
shall wrestle the bold. bold lad who wishes H."
Noon came, and the market square was
crowded. And then Mehmet approached He
slipped on his robe-And there was the dramatic
appearance Of an immense torso, bare but tor
Q loin-cloth. Of arms and legs packed with Q
fantastic layer Of muscle, Of q short neck like
q bulls. II he had seemed large enough before.
now, without clothes. he seemed q giant-and
silence came over the gathering, silence that
grew tense and shivering as he dropped into q
crouch, his hands jerked out like the paws Of .
bear; as he reared:
"Allahl There win be this day q grand
breaking of bonesl Come on-whoever Is the
challenger
And then-there happened that which, for
years. was spoken Of with jeering laughter
throughout High Tsrtary. For nobody accepted
the challenge
This morning" said the fruisersr. Il
sprained my ankle"
my cough bothers me-" said the grocer.
The innkeeper was the most honest
"Let him wrestle who wiA," he decided
PERSONALLY refuse"
Padmaysti faced the younger men and said:
I'm the past many Of you have asked my
hand In marriage. Listen then to my promisea
whoever wrestles and defeats this arrogant
stranger. his bride shall become ON the NOR
row. give OATH" She turned to her father
"You agree?"
eyes. I, too, give OATH"
"Is there not one amongst you." demanded
Padmavati, mot one who"
"r ami" voice cut Ia. and drisori steppsd
"A christian!"
"A vagabondi"
"what seek you here. o accursedf.
drigori waited until the storm had subsidized
a1ittle.
WORD came TO me-" he said, and indeed. nm
hour earlier Mehmet had brought him such
word, ''that strong man is needed to wrestle
this Mehmet."
Mehmet turned to Grigori
"Come on, nay little cockereli" he invited,
moving in ponderously, brawny bare arms de-
Scrtbng slow arabesques.
THEN. a. strong body met strong body he
whispered: "Be CAREFUL Let me not lose
my temper! Or might forget that this is In
iest-and ffrrt youl"
For quite q while they wrestled-wrestled
after the Tartar manner, I'm which there are NO
forbidden holds, no fouls Of any sort; according
10 which the kicking foot. the up-jerking knee.
the biting teeth, the gouging thumb-ali and
everything Is permitted.
It win always remain q debatabie question II.
throughout. It was clever make-beiieve, or n.
perhaps. after they warmed to the game. they
battled In earnest On this point the two
opponents disagreed. -,
For later on Grigori told his wife,
Never Q chance did he have. I could have
thrown him quite early In the fight But I
wanted a bit Of fun"
Mehmet, on the other hand. told certain
friends:
Il let him throw me. Had not promised
Padmayatia But some day shall return 20
Samarkand and take the Christian up to the
woods and-ah-the things shall do to him!''
Divergent views.
At all events. there was suddenly o scream. q
heave-and Mehmets great body soaring I'M
above Grigoris head hurting grotesquely. Then
o Grassland Mehmet fiat on the ground, both
shoulders touching the earth-and at once
Padmavati rushing up TO Grigori and crying: :.
''The victorl The victorl"
So. since law Is law. there were the next
morning ong-drawn, quivering yells of "Yoo.
yoo-yoo! Yooo-yoo-yooi Happy life to the
bridegroom! Happy life to the brides" az
Padmavati and .0rigori went TO the Hindu
temple to- receive the priests blessings, while