The Eye of Zeitoon

world is sic

l heal it, f

riend? And w

ng tongue an

ness in al

d Pharis

and procl

he upright

parted, fri

ry and ri

for fat for

nous of

world were d

s last beso

he wonder

daring, fr

gallant bla

mpassionate

but the pric

than the b

hat the wor

the gentry of Asia Minor like to. Will hurried us down there for a look at the gipsy girl. But

s not at all-affects to despise all giaours; but a giaour, like a gipsy, who has no obvious religion of any kind, he ranks b

ur quarters sufficiently for three days' stay. Fred did nothing to our quarters-stirred no finger, claiming convalescence with

d yowled songs to its clamor; and whether or not the various crowd agr

eastern snarl-a tale in Persian, then in Turkish, and the night grew breathless, full of listening, until pent-up interes

mise, they still swarmed around him begging for more. He went off to eat breakfast with a khan from Bok

r loads in shape, Fred sharpened his wonder-gift of tongues on the fascinated men of many nations, giving them London ditties and t

f several partners one is always "easier" than the rest; consequently, one man can bring him to see s

y everything. Not another mule to be had. U

t night before the charcoal b

s the way who was stripped stark naked and beaten because they thought he might have money in his clothes. When he reached this place without a stitch

you heard a

keeping together, and Armenians are getting the silence cure. Armenians are even shy of speaking to one another. I've tried listening, and I've tried asking questions, although that was risky. I can't get a word of explanation.

happenings, a euphemis

prospects with the air of an epicure ordering dinner. And Monty listened with his dark, delightful smi

Kurdish chieftain (all Kurds are chieftains away from home) to inspect a swollen fetlock. With that subtle flattery he unlocked the man's reserve, passed on from chance remark to frank, good-humore

right, Fred,"

English that brought three of us to our feet. Fred brushed his f

and in line at last to find out why!" he s

ued. There came blows suggestive of a

l, he's foul of a thalukdar* from Rajputana, and of a Prussian contractor, recruiting men for work on the Baghdad railway. I wasn't allowed to murder him.

jabi Word-land

"If he were a bad-house

aught up he was standing astride a prostrate being who sobbed like a cow with its throat cut, and a Rajput and a German, either of them six feet

beating him?"

would not! He wrote

at I shangh

n't you?" aske

or with him? What right had he to write that

, yet I thought with an air about him, too, of half-conscious surprise. Several times he took a ha

e enough,"

t says so?" the

ou-do-no-more!" Monty's smooth v

y, isn't it? You

e to

ang suddenly past me, and thrust himself between Monty and th

colonel sahib baha

e roiled them out, were like an order given to a thousand men. One almos

minute I set eyes on you. Wh

ce should pray for me in church, naming my honorable name, becau

what is in his di

happen soon. Said he to me-the German said to me-'I know another,' said he, 'who if I had my way should suffer first in that event.' Saying which he showed the written

e book?" dem

erman

n has no r

l brin

ry. We were all alone in the midst of the courtyard, not even watched from behind the wheels of arabas, fo

yours, Measel, if we prote

t last procured a specific affirmative. Then Rustum Khan came back with the offe

ng row. Will carried the book, and Rustum Khan stole wood from other folks' piles, and fanne

etter than keep such a diary!" sai

te a martyr!" M

Will came over from our quarters with first-aid stuff from our chest I spent the minutes telling the German what should happen to him in case he should so far forget discretion as to

found Rustum Khan with Fred and Monty seated around the charcoal brazier in Monty's room, deep in

s, old East still cherishes, "of a castle of your ancestors in these parts. Do you remember, when I showed you the ruins of my family pl

e purpose of this tri

red Oakes began to hum through his nose. He has a ridiculou

he feet of British officers. Little enough I know, but by the beard of God's prophet I know this: when

. "I remember you always were a studen

hen I was in your h

y sm

. What are you doin

cca, riding overland alone by way of Persia. As I came, missing few opportunities to talk with men, who should have been the lights of my religion, I have felt enthusiasm waning. These weeks past I have contemplated return without visiting Mecca

it darkness. We made no sign. None of us but h

aid Will, and the

the rather doubtful hope that our absence from a coa

is feet that instant,

r fealty! My blood be thine to spill in thy cause! Thy life on my

en prisoner by men of your religion, who will call you a ren

e to the place they tell me is on earth the home of grace, the more unfaith I see! Three nights ago in another place I was led aside and offered the third of the wealth of a fat Armenian if I would lend my sword to slit helpless throats-in the name of God, the compassionate,

d in our plans to

always work for

s say? Shall we let

rges, sahib. I am well

with us!" said Wil

fterward," said Fred, "if he'll guarantee t

I listened to his breathing I heard voices in the next room. The German was talking in English, that being often the

em!" said a voice.) They write notes in a book, and when that offense is detected they burn the book in a corner, as ye saw them do. I saw the book before they burned it. I thrashed the spy who wrote in the book because he had

proof, for as I crossed the yard again I dodged behind an araba in the nick

arty by the charcoal brazier. Almost breathless I reeled off wha

ey?" sai

nough European manners to stand about the gate and beg for tips. Nor were we quite too early for the enemy, who came out into the open and pelted us with clods of dung, the German