ISKANDER EFFENDI. 47 



" There is a dark archway through which the street 

 passes under the convent. I had no lantern in my hand, 

 and this was a violation of the Turkish rule. It was not 

 surprising, therefore, that as I passed the door of the 

 convent under the arch two of the soldiers of the pasha 

 should seize me, and demand why I was out alone with- 

 out a lantern. I replied that I was an American. They 

 thought my Arabic too good for that, or pretended so to 

 think, and and the result was that I had to be rough. 

 I had some skill in that line ; my early education was 

 not neglected. They shouted for help, and several sol- 

 diers were on me in a twinkling. Imagine my surprise, 

 however, when I found myself standing with my back to 

 the convent wall, and not alone in my position of de- 

 fense. Another man, whose features were wholly invisi- 

 ble in the dark, was as hearty as I in the business of 

 our defense ; and, as the melee was altogether too thick 

 for the use of fire-arms, we soon found ourselves fully 

 equal to the task of keeping at bay the entire lot of Mos- 

 lem soldiers. 



" ' How long is this to last, however ?' I asked in Ara- 

 bic, after we had kept them off about five minutes by 

 putting six or eight of them wholly out of the combat. 



" ' No longer than we like it,' said my ally, very coolly. 

 ' For my part, I rather enjoy the fun of the thing ; but, if 

 you say so, we'll have help,' and, without waiting my re- 

 ply, he blew a shrill whistle that rang down the street 

 toward the Tower of David, and a troop of horse came up 

 the pavement at a gallop. 



" ' Sweep out the archway,' was the ringing order given 

 by my companion, and the next instant the soldiers of 

 the pasha were scattered like chaff, and we were at lib- 

 erty. The good Armenians had long ago bolted and 



