The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1941-09-04
The Road to Bagdad

said so.
Il mean they might take me in
and trump up some charges of
conspiracy against me. You'll
have to speak to Ronald Barker
he's SO powerful in Egypt and
Palestine. We seem to far from
the American flag with all these
shootings and bombings taking
place every day. Poor Mahmoud!
Two policemen took him off in a
taxi. 1 had an engagement to
meet him, but he didn't show up.
I just happened to see him ar
rested as he was coming to meet
me. I'm really awfully wor-
ried about him, Camilla"
Camilla succeeded at last in
getting Kitty Trimble into the
lift, and went to the desk to wait
for message from Slim or Ron
ME.
Ronnie sent no word, but Slim
appeared just before Edgar Will
ling summoned his tourists. The
scar on Sims forehead had a
piece of court-plaster on it.
Camilla told him about Kitty
Trimble's extraordinary nervous
collapse and Slim only grinned.
"Serves her right" he said. "She's
been making mischief ever since
she came on this cruise. I think
she won't bother you much after
this, Camilla" he said dryly.
She searched his expression for
meaning. 81 believe you're back
of this, SLIM" she said.
''Not far back of it. just told
how Mahmoud had tried to kill
Ronnie Barker this morning and
that the police had evidence that
Kitty knew more about it than
she wanted to tell"
"And where is Ronald Barker,
SLIM"
Slim grinned and took out his
cigarettes. Il don't know, Camil-
la, unless it's wherever Ali Al
dial is"
Hassan's sudden disappearance
from the King David Hotel had
meant, according to Sims theo-
ry, that the Syrian had gone to
visit the Mayor of Jerusalem, the
Supreme Moslem Council, or some
other high political or religious
dignitary in the hope of releasing
Mahmoud from prison.
1t was Sims opinion that un-
less further friction developed as
a result of the incident, NAH
mould probably would be released
and sent back to Egypt under a
suspended sentence. This would
be in accordance with the British
practice of treating such cases
with the utmost leniency.
This conclusion had been con-
firmed when Hassan Isar came
to the King David Hotel in time
to arrange to accompany Camilla,
Slim and Josie on the drive to
Damascus. Ronnie had not again
appeared, but with an air OF
assurance Slim had made him
self a member of Camilla's party
and she had not ojected. Indeed,
now that Ronnie was gone, she
didn't know what she would have
done without him.
The road, contrary to Hassan's
statement, did not seem to be as
safe as Fifth Avenue, for rough
stone forts and barbados were
everywhere and the broken road
showed where conflicts between
the Arabs and the British had
taken place. But the tourists were
nOL IlO1SSLGO dllu oLC Cl1SAA AOAANhA
of st. Peters wish at the Tiberlas
hotel on the Lake of Galilee.
Lunch finished, with a great
footing of horns as a salute to
their departing military escort,
the train of automobiles went
around the head of the lake to
the River Jordan, sullen little
creek which they crossed on an
iron bridge that looked as if it
might collapse any moment.
"You are now in my country"
Hassan said after a while, with
an air of proprietorship. "You
are in Syria" he continued, you
will partake of my hospitality"
Slim didn't show much enthu-
siasm, because he was paying his
own way to the tourist agency
and because he was quite certain
that, however polite, Hassan still
wished he was in Jericho.
ITO Be Continued