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 THE RED RUGS OF TARSUS

to all the world at a feast. I got nervous only when they wanted to kiss the baby. Scrapple howled, and I was glad of the excuse to with- draw her.

When I went downstairs to the carriage, one of the officers of the North Carolina carried my bag, and drove me to the scala. Mother Chris- tie held Scrappie. The North Carolina's launch was waiting. Out we went to the great ship, where I was to spend the afternoon. The Christies and others were coming later to say good-by. Herbert was to spend the after- noon rounding up the baggage with the help of Socrates, and row it out to the Assouan. A London war correspondent had just arrived, too the first of the newspaper men and Herbert had to pilot him around.

The sky-line of Mersina, broken by the minarets, gleamed white in the sunshine. I did not dare to think too hard about what I was leaving. My mind flew back to the day I left Tarsus, how the Armenian women [190]

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