The Argosy, August 1905 — page 90: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

relaxed. Throwing herself face down ward in the long, soft grass, the girl fell to sobbing softly. And with the tears came peace. Above, in the gray-green foliage of the olives, birds were twittering. Far in the distance the voice of a muezzin (priest) calling the faithful to morning prayer came faintly to her ears. Voice after voice from the distant city ca ught up the call as from minaret to minaret the muezzins sent forth their sonorous, chanting summons: « Allah-hu-Akbar! Le Illah Tilah Allah ! Mahmoud Siadnah Rasowl Allah!” A light step on the gravel path near by broke in on the girl’s grief and she sprang hastily to her feet. ; Before her, his face swathed in the folds of a brown silk Fafieh (native head- dress), stood a Syrian. Some distance behind him, in the gateway of the gar- den, a second native was waiting. May at a glance recognized the farther man as Imbarak, the groom. Despite the kafieh which shrouded the face and the long-striped abbieh and kumbaz which muffled the figure of the nearer natiye, there seemed something familiar about his bearing. “ What—what do you want?” she faltered in English. Then, as he did not answer her at once, she repeated still more nervously in French: ; “Que voulez-vous? ” A shake of the head and the /a/ieh’s folds fell away from the man’s face. “ Ralph Mohun!” eried May incredu- lonsly. Mohun, his bronzed face dyed to an eyen deeper shade of brown, his dark mustache shaved, his muscular figure disguised in the shapeless costume of a native Syrian of the better fellaheen class, might have walked unrecognized through a double line of his closest friends. But the eyes of love are keen, and at a glance May Farrar knew him. Surprise was her first emotion, then followed a feeling of anger against the man who, all unworthy, had won her loye and had caused her such suffering. It was Mohun who spoke first. “Imbarak supplied me with this el ver * 4 THE ARGOSY. dress,” he began lamely enough, “ and he got me the dye for my face. There are so few Americans in Syria that IL would have been captured in a day if I hadn’t disguised myself.” ik “Why do you tell me this?” she asked coldly, finding her voice at last. “Tt can be of no interest to me.” “J did not venture to hope it would interest you, he answered. “1 only spoke of it to explain my odd appear- ance.” “Tt needed no explanation. But something else does. And that is your motive in addressing me atter— after % “ After last night’s scene?” he sup- plemented. “You are right, Miss Farrar. My venturing to address you at all or to claim acquaintanceship with you under such circumstances surely requires an explanation. Believe me, it was not from an idle whim that I fol- lowed you here.” “On second thought, Mr. Mohun, I do not care to hear any explanation you may offer. Please don’t detain me any longer. I must get back to the hotel.” But he barred the path. She looked at him in astonishment. “1 shall only detain you a moment,” he pleaded, “and I must ask you to hear me out. I should not trouble you with any affairs of my own. Please believe that. But this concerns your. own safety.” She stood still without replying, and he continued: “The major intends to take you to Damascus in a day or two. He must not do so. This is imperative. Had I remained with your party, I should have found a means to prevent it. As it js, 1 can only appeal to you, for your own sake, not to go. There is the gravest sort of danger awaiting all Christians— native and foreign alike—at Damasens. “T tried to make your uncle under- stand this, but he would not. He may believe you. If he does not, you must feign sickness or resort to any subter- fuge to avert the trip. Your life and the lives of the whole party may hang on this. : _“ Oh, can’t you see T would not have risked detection and capture by : ing near Jerusalem until this +e = ~ comicbooks.com ,<