Jack Hildreth on the Nile | Page 4

quietly, keeping my eyes on his.
"I am the Sheik Hadschi Abd el Barak, Mokkadem of the sacred
Kadis."
This was an interesting piece of news. He was the chief of the members
of the pious brotherhood which administered so-called justice in Egypt!
However, without seeming much affected by these tidings, I replied:

"Very likely you are, but why do you not act like a son of the Prophet
and the head of such a pious confraternity?"
"What knowest thou of my actions? Has thou not seen just now how all
heads bowed before me? Humble thyself also, thou dog! Thou hast
struck me, and I will tell thee how to make amends for such an injury."
"I kneel to no man; I am not a Moslem, but a Christian."
He positively swelled before me. "A Christian, a giaour, a thieving
dog!" he roared. "And thou hast dared annoy the Sheik Abd el Barak! It
were better for thee thy mother had strangled thee at birth, for I will
seize thy throat --"
"Oh, don't chatter," I interrupted him. "Every one of your threats is
laughable. You are no greater than I, and have not the slightest power
over me. I am answerable to my consul, and he doesn't care about your
titles. Repeat your insults and I'll knock you down, and appeal to the
law to find out whether the acts of a man who buys slave children,
beats and starves them, and ties them to posts if they fail to bring him
the money he wants are pleasing to God."
He fell back at these words, crying: "Who, who told thee this? It was
this boy, this jackal! Woe be to him when he comes home to-night."
"You'll do him no harm; I'll take care of that," I said.
"Thou wilt take care of it? Wouldst thou give me commands, thou a
dog of a Christian, whom Allah will burn forever in --"
He got no further, for I had been guilty of wrong to myself and all
Christians with whom he would deal later if I allowed his words to pass
unpunished. I drew off and gave him such a blow that he fell flat, and
lay on the pavement senseless.
"Quick, quick," cried the Negro boy, trembling between joy and fright.
"He's dead! Don't go out into the street again, but through the little gate
at the back of the court, where you will find a deserted house, and over

its wall you can get to another street. But hasten, hasten."
"He is not dead, only unconscious, and I have no fear," I said. "But I
will take the road you say. Come with me; Abd el Barak shall never
beat you again."
I took the boy's hand in my left one, the girl's in my right, and went out
through the little gate. We climbed over the wall, and came out on the
back street, the children following me silently, too dazed with the
thought that they had been rescued from their oppressor to be sure
whether they walked on air or earth. But their black eyes looked at me
adoringly, and I saw they would follow me unhesitatingly to the ends
of the earth.
Now, the question was: What shall I do with them?
Two stolen Negro slave children were puzzling luggage for a young
American traveler. I had made but one acquaintance in Cairo, beyond
the business connection of my uncle's friend. This man was called
Murad Nassyr, and to him I resolved to go for advice and help.
CHAPTER II.
EVIL SPIRITS, THOUGH NO GHOSTS
CLOSELY followed by my two poor little companions, I went straight
to the house of Murad Nassyr, where I had been before. The door was
opened to me by his long, thin steward Selim, who appeared surprised
at the sight of my companions. His master was not at home, so I
dispatched him to the coffee house Murad Nassyr most frequented, and
went to the inner court to await his coming.
In less than half an hour Murad Nassyr pushed aside the curtain across
the entrance, but stopped short when he saw the children.
"What does this mean?" he cried. "Have these Negroes come here with
you? Why do you wish to see me?"

"It is a long story, Murad Nassyr," I replied. "If you will allow me I
will tell you it."
The master of the house made up his mind to accept its invasion in so
far as listening to my explanation, for, coming over, he seated himself
beside me. I related to him as briefly as I could the story of my
purloining the little slaves, to whom their master had no more right
than I. He heard me with many groans of alarm and horror, and