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

Mehmet's remark, which tells me shah help
myself to my fair share"
He gave broad wink. The stranger did
lkewise-then suddenly IN Unclaimed:
ri like you!"
"You do?"
enormously You are a man after my own
hearti"
"Nowhere-east, south, north, west-hves
there my equal in either" said Mehmet negii-
gently.
Except myself" The other embraced him
exclaimed again: II like yosa-snornouslyi
Therefore, here" slipping . ring from his
finger and giving It TO Mehmet-"a token from
me to you. Ah"-he lowered his voice-"m win
help you In your quest. my friend"
Mehmet looked ct the Jewel, q broad silver
band curiously and intzicateiy engraved and oct
with O star-sapphire. ~
"what Is IT." he asked
IAN open Sesame 10 tire dwellings and
treasure boxes Of the Hindus. The ring Of the
Grand Khans grand vixier. At least"-the
T,rkoman coughed. rather guiltily-"I doubt
that the Grand Khan's grand vi.ier would be
able to tell the difference" Once more he
coughed. II used II"
"Prontably?"
VERY" The Twkoman slapped his waist
shawl 30 that the gold coins there sang merry
tune. ~ am now On my way TO Bokhaxa 10
spend the money"
A N hour later Mehmet reached the quarter Of
= the Hindus. Very much like the Aoslem
town, it was filled with o milling throng. People
hasgled, jested. laughed, snapped spiced gos-
SIP But there was O difference. For the
Mosiems were here by red right Of conquest, the
Hindus by suferance. Thus, where the Moslenas
were aggressive. the Hindus were submissive.
Where the Moslems yelled the Hindus purred.
Where the Moslems relied on the sword, the
Hindus relied on the yardstick. And when the
Moslems squeezed, mulcted, oppressed the
Hindus, the latter shrugged their shoulders.
permitted Indeed, what else could they do
since they were in such helpless minority
the squeezing. mulcting, expressing, certain
that presently. with their rectal residence and
bitter racial patience. they would make up their
losses hundredfold, were they losses In money
or In dignity.
Tonight in the house of the aksakai, or
leader Of the community, where earnest men,
the pick Of the Hndus In riches and civic
worth and vedic learning were gathered.
Chandra Oval, the Brahman priest speaking
about the Moslen,s. the masters, remarked:
''Masters-for how long? Barbarians they
are! But we are the thrice-born-we are
Brahms Chosen-we survive"
"At times it Is costly to survive" advanced
Krishna Chose, the banker. "The taxes We
must pay. the bribes-"
"Pah," laughed the aksakai there Is other
bran TO be picked by the little brown hen!"
Maybe so,' rumbled Haridas the tailor. "But
not often can pick up such gorgeous Persian
brocade as I had to cut into burnoose for
that bullying Turkoman"
May his beard be disgraced!" sighed Chat
trapati, the fruiterer. ME he robbed, and
many others. But what could we do? He
flashed the grand vsier's signet ring-in proof
Of the grand vizier's trust"
ut ts wise to bow to the monkey who Is In
power" counseled the priest; while Pratap
Singh, the goldsmith, said that he had his
doubts about the ring, that 1t had seemed too
new too shiny.
"A forgery you think?"
II am not sure. But suspect"
why did you not warn us?" demanded SRI
MadhO the grocer q man Younger therefore