THE DECOY

Evening Star, Issue 17324, 12 April 1920, Page 7

THE DECOY

The Digger in Egypt did not love the Gyppo. As evidence of the attitude he bore towards them the following true story is related : Earlv in 1919 the country was in a , state li insurrection, and cowardly outrages and- other- hostile demonstrations . were dailv occurrences. Desoite the fact . that martial law was in force, the military authorities did not remove the velvet glove—orders fiom the authorities in England, no doubt. , Our boys longed for an open go at the trouble-makers, but a chance of revenge came only when the Egyptian was the attacker—rare happenings' indeed. For a European, either soldier or civi- | ban, to wander down the darker bv-ways jof Cairo was almost a suicidal act." This ; was proved on dozens of occasions. Armed ! patrols scoured the city night and day, paying special attention "to the Motif kv—a | most dangerous quarter. | It was in this neighborhood that an j officer in charge of a, patrol espied a lanky , Digger, cigarette in mouth,, apparently the ; v:oise for liquor, holding up* the corner : ot_ a bazaar stall, and coming in for the , critical inspection of a group of hangdoglooking natives. The officer approached the soldier and this is the conversation i that took place : ' "pfficer: "Taking a risk, aren't you, 1 Lig: * ' j jigger:" Not that I'd noticed. Whv'" Officer-: "See that crowd of nignera" at I he next corner? They're looking for the I likes of you. i fligKer; "I'd sign an acquittance roll i lor all that on my book for them to I , come at me My cobbers are just un the I ■ lane. 1 m the decoy." ' i