into the doorway, where he leaned against the wall for an instant, his
eyes meeting ours with a look of defiance and contempt that I would
willingly forget. Then the staff dropped from his hand; he staggered
out to the great portico, and fell his length upon the pavement.
Nofuhl hastened to him, but he was dead.

As he fell a wonderful thing took place--an impossible thing, as I
look back upon it, but both Nofuhl and I saw it distinctly.

In front of the great steps and facing this doorway is a large sitting
image of George-wash-yn-tun. As the Mehrikan staggered out upon the
porch, his hands outstretched before him and with Death at his heart,
this statue slowly bowed its head as if in recognition of a gallant
fight.

Perhaps it was the sorrowful acceptance of a bitter ending.



7th July

Again upon the sea.

This time for Persia, bearing our wounded and the ashes of the dead;
those of the natives are reposing beneath the Great Temple. The skull
of the last Mehrikan I shall present to the museum at Teheran.



THE END