The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1941-10-23
By George Gibbs

II seemed only a moment DeIOre
the four tall minarets and the
dome of the Kazemain came into
sight against the distant back
ground of the city, shorter while
again, before the nose of the plane
tilted down and the earth seemed
to come up to meet them with
alarming rapidity.
There's Kufah nearby, Camil-
la, and heer is where we land"
He did it skillfully in a flat
place alongside the river which
seemed to be a landing field. A
few thank-you-ma'ams rather joy
Gus than dangerous, and the plane
TAXED to a stop. Then, after one
deep breath, as if in relief, it was
silent.
The picture became very def
mite now-mud houses and plane
or two under roof of thatch, Yu-
SET getting out with Ronnie and
talking to man who seemed to
be in charge of the place.
She remembered that Ronnie
said something that made the
keeper of the airport begin sa-
Ronnie gave him money, led them
around the huts to dilapidated
car of an early vintage in which
Ronnie presently drove them
along coed road toward a grove
of orange trees which surround
ed a house on a hill. There was a
pretty little garden at the side
where a man in white was sitting
in a camp chair under the trees.
When Ronnie came up the path
with Camilla, mentioning the
name of Gertrude Bell, the man
in the camp chair seemed to I'M
coil himself and attain a great
height, making salutations like a
dancing cobra. He was well over
six feet and his face was black
with age, his beard scarlet with
the stains of henna, while on his
head a great green turban framed
head majestically like a crown.
With the name of Gertrude Bell
still upon his lips, he gave Camil-
la toothless smile and led the
way into a room where another
man sat reading and smoking a
narghile.
He was a little man with a
round pot-belly, a scraggy gray
beard, and watery eyes set in
pouches of purplish flesh, par
TALLY concealed by spectacles
which rested lightly on his little
pointed hooked nose. He relin-
quished his water pipe with evil
dent regret and rose salaaming
to Camilla while Animal made the
introductions.
This insignificant person, she
found, was Osman Khali, the man
whom all the trouble was about,
the only true descendant of the
Prophet with a pure line, the
mutt of Jerusalem, the symbol OF
the Moslem faith, and the leader
of modern thought throughout the
eastern world.
There wasn't much time to
spare and, having discovered that
the two ancient men were alone
in the house, Ronnie quickly
pushed Osman Khai down upon
the divan and wrapped his head
in his white robe in which he
gasped and sputtered Intellectual
| ly while his hands clawed vacan-
cy. The Sailed Animal, taken COM
pletely by surprise, stared help
lessly at Osman and Ronnie and
didn't awake to the necessities OF
the situation until Yusef, who
had been waiting for this moment,
had blocked the doorway. But the
old man was game and struck at
Yusef with his bony fist, then, at
the sight of a pistol sank feebly
beside OSman on the dlVan.
cts really a pity" Ronnie said,
as he tied Osman's arms with a
rope that Yusef had brought, then
tied the arms and legs CT Animal,
''for they are two very respectable
old gentlemen"
By this time Osman was strick-
en- with terror at the sight of Yu-
SETS gun and gave them no trou-
BILE whatever, yielding to Ron
MES persuations as his hands
were tied behind him. They need
ed his legs for purposes of loco
motion.
eve are very sorry, Affandi,"
ROnnie said quietly. E'that it was