ution have done for Mahdiism? No doubt the
Khalifa thought to justify himself in the public estimation, because
Adlan was too popular, but the real reason was, that the Khalifa feared
him, for he knew that his justice and prudence had made him beloved by
the people.

With the one exception that Adlan had opened commerce with Egypt,
chiefly through the secret intermediary of a former Khartum merchant
named Abdel Majid, I do not believe there was anything else against him.
It was said that letters had been found, purporting to have been written
by Adlan, in which he had begged the Egyptian Government to retake
possession of the Sudan; but this statement, had it been true, would
have been announced far and wide by the Khalifa; this, however, had not
been done, and it was generally agreed that it was entirely fear on the
Khalifa's part which prompted him to take Adlan's life.

All his property was confiscated, and his friends persecuted. Some of
the latter, after his death, remembered that he had told them how, when
studying in Cairo, an old woman had foretold that he would die a violent
death. For long he paid little attention to this prophecy; but during
the siege of El Obeid, he called it to mind, and thought it would
perhaps be fulfilled there. But when he eventually rose to high position
in Omdurman, he used to laugh at the old woman's saying. However,
during his last imprisonment, he had been firmly convinced it would come
true, and that was what made him so bold and firm when he actually came
to look death in the face.

In place of Adlan, the Khalifa nominated his relative Ez Zaki, now Emir
of Berber; but he fell ill shortly afterwards, and resigned. The Khalifa
then appointed Nur el Gereifawi (that is, a native of Gereif, near
Khartum). He had been in charge of the beit el mal at Berber; as Nur was
an intimate friend of Adlan's, it was thought that he might suffer a
like fate, but he was a crafty individual, and had sent the Khalifa
30,000 dollars, which he knew would have the desired effect.

On arrival at Omdurman he stood by the great gate to see the Khalifa;
but Abdullah did not summon him that evening, so he lay that night on
the ground beside the Khalifa's door--an act of humility which quite won
his heart--and the next morning Nur was officially appointed Adlan's
successor. In order to thoroughly impress Nur with the dangers of his
new situation, the Khalifa announced to him that on the previous night
he