is
distinguished contemporary: "Perdicaris alive and Raisuli dead!"

Peter's paraphrase of this ran: "Gilman returns to Stillwater or I will
not try for degree."

The reply was equally emphatic:

"You earn your degree or you earn your own living."

This alarmed Stetson, but caused Peter to deliver his ultimatum: "Choose
to earn my own living am leaving Constantinople."

Within a few days Stetson was also leaving Constantinople by steamer
via Naples. Peter, who had come to like him very much, would have
accompanied him had he not preferred to return home more leisurely by
way of Paris and London.

"You'll get there long before I do," said Peter, "and as soon as you
arrive I want you to go to Stillwater and give Doctor Gilman some
souvenir of Turkey from me. Just to show him I've no hard feelings. He
wouldn't accept money, but he can't refuse a present. I want it to
be something characteristic of the country, Like a prayer rug, or a
scimitar, or an illuminated Koran, or..."

Somewhat doubtfully, somewhat sheepishly, Stetson drew from his pocket a
flat morocco case and opened it. "What's the matter with one of these?"
he asked.

In a velvet-lined jewel case was a star of green enamel and silver gilt.
To it was attached a ribbon of red and green.

"That's the Star of the Crescent," said Peter. "Where did you buy it?"

"Buy it!" exclaimed Stetson. "You don't buy them. The Sultan bestows
them."

"I'll bet the Sultan didn't bestow that one," said Peter.

"I'll bet," returned Stetson, "I've got something in my pocket that says
he did."

He unfolded an imposing document covered with slanting lines of curving
Arabic letters in gold. Peter was impressed but still skeptical.

"What does that say when it says it in English?" he asked.

"It says," translated Stetson, "that his Imperial Majesty, the Sultan,
bestows upon Henry Stetson, educator, author, lecturer, the Star of
the Order of the Crescent, of the fifth class, for services rendered to
Turkey."

Peter interrupted him indignantly.

"Never try to fool the fakirs, my son," he protested. "I'm a fakir
myself. What services did you ever...."

"Services rendered," continued Stetson undisturbed, "in spreading
throughout the United States a greater knowledge of the customs,
industries, and religion of the Ottoman Empire. That," he explained,
"refers to my--I should say our--moving-picture lecture. I thought
it would look well if, when I lectured on Turkey, I wo