But with his hero worship was mingled so much commercialism that men never gave him credit for any idea beyond the making of dollars.
“We will find this Mahdi,” he said, “and he shall lecture through the States. There will be millions in it.”
How disgusted Mohammed would have been had he understood what Max said!
Ibrahim was annoyed. It sounded so much like an insult to his religion.
But he deftly turned the conversation by saying:
“Max, my friend, has a mission. He is searching for the last of the Mamelukes.”
“When Selim, the tyrant, destroyed the Mamelukes,” said Mohammed, solemnly, “he gave to many provinces a bey of Mameluke blood. He did it to save his life. I, who speak unto thee, had for my great ancestor Mohammed, the fearless, who was one of the beys.”
“Didst thou come from the line of great Emin?”
“Alas, no! My ancestors did eschew the Mamelukes and joined the Turks.”
“Dost thou think Emin’s descendants live?”