1939-11-10 — Page 16

THE CHINA MAIL, NOVEMBER 10, 1939.

THE IMPOSSIBLE PERSON

on a

hareens.

They rode all through the fierce heat speedily of the African morning sun until a distant scout saw them and waved his rifle.over his head.

"We will ride slowly now," said the hermit it will be safer." It was two hours later that the three men rode into Faqir's harka. The Arabs evi- dently knew the hermit, for they all made obeisance to him.

The hermit raised a friendly hand towards Beattic and rode off with

Faqir and the escort.

"That hermit is a very great man," said Hamid in his precise English. "You are right, my lad," said Reattie,

In a few minutes, two magnificent MRS. Smart, wife of the governor- was exceedingly probable. Mr. Smart his hunkers with his eyes closed, then

racing camels were driven up to the general of the British colony of told him not to be a fool and caution- he retired to the interior of his cave.

It was not long after that he re- tent, escorted by a bodyguard of sonie Eutopia, was not a bad-looking wo- ed him about spreading false rumours.

That afternoon, there came the appeared, decked out man but she was also the quintessence

in most gor- twenty warriors with the ancient hel- of snobbishness and, by force of a news that a platoon of our infantry, geous apparel. Trotting towards him inets of the Saracen warriors. They strong character,. dominated not only which were stationed in a post at one was a black tribesman on a beautiful were also mounted on valuable Bis-

oases in order to white Bishareen camel. Government House but also most of of the principal

"Major Beattie, summon your man. Four or five chieftains pushed their. the British members of the com- keep a check on caravans that pass

throng that had munity.

ed that way, had been cut to pieces We will go and see Faqir Ali," said way through the

gradually assembled around the tent, There was one striking exception, by Faqir's Arabs. This was confirmed the old Arab, and Beattie bowed.

The black camel driver was left at then Faqir came out once more, raised however, who did not bow to her by the fact of a ghastly present sent will; in fact, he avoided her as much to the governor in a wooden box. It the cave while Beattle, Hamid and the his hand for silence and told them to

rode unfortunate! hermit

south-east to get to disband. There were one or two mur- as possible, and this was the Impos- was the head of the sible Person, as she termed him. subaltern who had been in command Faqir's main encampment as soon as murs of discontent, but so great was his dominance that the vast camp He had only recently landed in the of the post. And then the editor was possible.

demobilised. Tents were He had left the paper in colony, where he had taken over the missing.

struck and parties of Arabs and editorship of the only daily paper charge of a Scottish sub-editor and,

tribesmen made off across the desert during the absence of the editor and had simply disappeared.

in various directions until only a few proprietor

long furlough

Three or four days later, in

a very

remained. Europe.

black little nigger boy brought a scrap To make matters worse, Mrs. Smart, of dirty paper to Government House. having denounced him to her friends It was a note to the governor from as a person of no social importance, James Beattie the editor-and warn suddenly discovered that he was ex- ed him that Faqir Ali was attacking tremely well connected,' as the ex- in force the next night. "Of all the " said Mrs. Smart. pression goes. Then of course, she impertinence

"I wish to see Faqir Ali," he said in declared he was declasse, because he The governor was none too easy in a surprisingly powerful voice for a heaving a vast sigh of relief. He con- frequented the French and Italian his own mind and directed that the man so old and apparently so fragile tinued, "Do you know that Faqir had quarters of the capital of Eutopia. He recently arrived aeroplanes should A gigantic negro in purple uniform us in a cleft stick owing to that fool

with Arabs and be sent out even hob-nobbed

scouting at once, and bowed and salaumed and rode before of a governor. If the Arabs had des- cended on Patris. they could have that strange tribesmen who entered the little party to a large tent above 'lesser breeds without the law.*

Ah, here is our old should be searched for Mrs. Smart so disliked this editor the town

which was raised the green banner of wiped us out.

friend, Colonel Schellendorf. Well, person that she actually tried to have weapons by the civil police, main-- the Prophet. him sent home as an undesirable, but ly Sikhs.

A powerful voice was heard, raised freiheer, we do meet in strange places, Beattle, Major in no sweet here her husband put his foot down. Meanwhile, James

temper and the giant and told her not to be absurd, and Royal Engineers, D.S.O., and several negro turned grey: "It is the leader Mrs. Smart retired to her bedroom to other decorations, was camping out in himself," he gasped out and his eyes

a black sulk for the rest of the day. It was the desert with

tribesman rolled in mortal terror. not often that the governor refused to who spoke surprisingly good English.

He laughed loudly, "I might have do what she told him to do, but she The major was dressed in the cos-

known it would be you. Beattie! I knew that when he made up his mind tume of an Arab travelling merchant,

thought you had retired from the it was no use trying to make him and from time to time he changed his

talk from English to the local brand mounted. Black slaves came forward service. You might have let me know change his decision.

Then, like a bolt from the blue, of Arabic which he spoke with fluency, to tether their camels. Armed guards you were out here. You have lost me came the news that another Impos- a fluency that would have surprised were waved aside by the giant negro. a perfectly good job, but I shall get

A "Hamid,

obviously fat individual,

a over it, I imagine." sible Person had suddenly decided to the governor of Eutopia.

The British officer laughed in his rise against British rule. This crea- you black scoundrel, I think we had eunuch, decked out in black and gold,

emerged from the tent, and the hermit turn, "My dear Baron. You always ture was a desert Arab known at better go and see the hermit."

said in pure Arabic: "Tell your Mas- do. I shall find you in China next ter, Faqir Ali, that the Prince of month, or in Spain, or wheresoever Kordofan wishes to have conversation there is trouble." with him."

Short Story

By Donald Campbell

"Lead on and be not afraid," said the hermit, gently.

Outside the tent, the three men dis-

and the All-compassionate and that of Mahomet his Prophet in every other breath.

The three visitors walked into the large tent where Faqir All was wait- ing for them, seated on a pile of

don't we?"

The tall soldierlike figure in faded olive-green uniform turned his sun- tanned face towards Beattle and Hamid.

The German soldier of fortune smiled.

Beattie.

It was nearly twenty-four hours later that Beattie, still in Arab dress, demanded an interview with the much-harrassed governor of Eutopia.

"I beg to report, your Excellency, that Faqir Ali has been persuaded to disband his army and has taken the nearest route to Mecca, The Prince of He was

a rough-looking character Kordofan, a very good friend of His with a strong face and very keen Majesty's

Hamid Government and eyes. "A good type," thought Beattie, Brown, one of our local Intelligence who knew his Africa far better than agents, were principally instrumental anybody in Patris imagined.

in bringing this about."

cushions.

The eunuch's eyes expanded with

"We two old battle-hawks seem to astonishment, then he salaamed and retired inside the tent, to issue forth spend the best part of our lives fol- once more and bid the party enter, lowing each other about. I have some- which he did in the most florid and thing in my water-bottle. . . ." Oriental manner possible, invoking "You priceless old villain," breathed Faqir Ali, and he did not like the The negro grinned, "Yes, Major, I the name of Allah the All-merciful British one little bit. He captured a think that is our best bet. We couple of missionaries and crucified should be able to get to him without them and committed divers other interference, as Faqir's men are so naughtinesses, until the governor- cocksure they are not even putting out general, who was a man of routine patrols." Hamid woke up the resting and no soldier, permitted the mili- camels, which grunted and hissed and tary to take a hand in the game. He swore in their own language. was only a month or so too late. The two men mounted and rode off Thousands of Arabs and negroid into the almost blue African night tribesmen had swarmed to the ban- occasionally looking around them to of Faquir. Cargoes of rifles, see if any hostile patrols were in their ammunition and machine guns were vicinity.

they supplied to the rebel by the astute

breaking when agents of a certain European Power reached the foothills, where, in a who always liked to profit by our cave, dwelt the hermit, the holy man embarrassments. Somehow Or the of the mountains as the Arabs called other, several scouting 'planes also him. found their way to Faqir's camp in the desert and several white soldiers of fortune joined his forces.

The total British garrison of Eutopia consisted of one battalion of white in- fantry and the usual details and a battery of volunteer artillery.

ner

Listening to the commanding officer, the governor sent an S.O.S. for help, and a squadron of aeroplanes and a fast cruiser made a dash for Eutopia. Even then, the governor had mini- mised the danger and was furious when he received cable from the Colonial Office which referred to a despatch from Patris-the capital of Eutopia-which had been published one of the leading national papers in England.

If the governor was furious, Mrs. Smart was even more so. She sur- mised-and correctly—that the editor fellow had sent this despatch to Eng- land.

Dawn was

Beattie dismounted and, telling Hamid to look after the camels, made his way to the place where he would find the hermit. That perfectly worthy old gentleman was evidently expect ing him. He was a very ancient Arab of high degree and he spoke English perfectly, in fact with a drawl that would have irritated any of the Cock- neys.

"My dear boy, I am so pleased to see you. May I ask

if you

have brought me any of that priceless to- bacco of yours."

"I have, sir," said. Beattle. "That is extremely

thoughtful of you. Now, is there anything I can do for you?"

"Quite a lot."

"Really, you sound worried." "I am."

Faqir rose to his feet directly he saw the hermit. He salaamed and the hermit motioned to him to be seated again.

"My son, you are to go on a pil- grimage in order to atone for your sins," he almost chanted.

"But your Highness!"

"I do not use that title any longer. I am a hermit, a recluse: but you are a strong man and you have sinned through pride. You have killed where no killing was necessary, and if you do not do as I tell you, you will be killed in your turn.”

"I see with your Highness a Fer- inghee and a slave. Bid them wait outside, my lord, and I will listen to your wisdom," said Faqir, and Beattie and Hamid slipped outside in de- ference to a gesture from the hermit.

They squatted down and smoked in silence, no man molesting them. Night was falling fast, the quick blueish- black desert night, when the hermit emerged from the tent. He spoke in "Sit down and tell me all about it.” English to Boattle: "I want you to stop Faqir.”

"I take it that your people will not "Yes, I am with you there. The try to punish Faqir if he goes away When a delegation of shopkeepers man is a nuisance. I don't mind him now.” and civilian residents of Patris wait- wiping away a few missionaries. They "I have no authority to promise any ed on the governor with an offer to are mostly a nuisance themselves, but thing nowadays, but I am pretty cer- raise a corps of volunteer infantry, when the maniac went and crucified tain that if he disbands his army, no Mr. Smart dismissed them almost them, that was really too much. Also, punitive measures will be taken." contemptuously, whereupon one I have great friends at the mission of "That is good enough, coming from middle-aged Italian who had been a the White Fathers and I do not wish you. Faqir!” soldier in his own country told the this animal-Faqir is nothing more—

The rebel chief strode out of his governor that he the Italian-would to do them harm. Yes, I am with tent, a fine-looking ruffian now tha load his rifle and defend his belong you. Let me think for a little while he was not slouching ings with the aid of ́sundry other and then we will find a means of cushions." Italians, French and Greeks, if Faqir getting rid of Faqir All" For an "Order up your best camels, my son, All descended on the town, which hour or more the hermit sat back on and we will ride," said the hermit.

among

"But who the dickens are you?" "Alistair Beattie, your Excellency, formerly a major in the Royal En- gineers. I was chief of Intelligence in this region for several years and also

(Continued on Page 17)

MENNEN BORATED POWDER

PANTISEPTIC="

Soothes and Protects

MENNEN Antiseptic

BORATED POWDER