. Patton. The matter at length assumed such
an importance as to give rise, in the House of Commons, to the question,
"Who is Katty Greenfield?" This, in time, was answered by that lady
herself, who declared under oath that she had become a Mohammedan, and was
in love with the man with whom she had eloped. More than this, it was
learned that she had not a drop of English blood in her veins, her father
being an Austrian, and her mother a native Armenian. Whereupon the Persian
troopers, with their much disgusted leader, beat an inglorious retreat,
leaving "Katty Greenfield" mistress of the situation, and of a Kurdish
heart.

[Illustration: LEAVING KHOI.]

In Tabreez there is one object sure to attract attention. This is the
"Ark," or ancient fortified castle of the Persian rulers. High on one of
the sides, which a recent earthquake has rent from top to bottom, there is
a little porch whence these Persian "Bluebeards," or rather Redbeards,
were wont to hurl unruly members of the harem. Under the shadow of these
gloomy walls was enacted a tragedy of this century. Babism is by no means
the only heresy that has sprung from the speculative genius of Persia; but
it is the one that has most deeply moved the society of the present age,
and the one which still obtains, though in secret and without a leader.
Its founder, Seyd Mohammed Ali, better known as Bab, or "Gate,"
promulgated the doctrine of anarchy to the extent of "sparing the rod and
spoiling the child," and still worse, perhaps, of refusing to the ladies
no finery that might be at all becoming to their person. While not a
communist, as he has sometimes been wrongly classed, he exhorted the
wealthy to regard themselves as only trustees of the poor. With no thought
at first of acquiring civil power, he and his rapidly increasing following
were driven to revolt by the persecuting mollas, and the sanguinary
struggle of 1848 followed. Bab himself was captured, and carried to this
"most fanatical city of Persia," the burial-place of the sons of Ali. On
this very spot a company was ordered to despatch him with a volley; but
when the smoke cleared away, Bab was not to be seen. None of the bullets
had gone to the mark, and the bird had flown--but not to the safest refuge.
Had he finally escaped, the miracle thus performed would have made Babism
invincible. But he was recaptured and despatched, and his body thrown to
the canine scavengers.

[Illustration: YARD OF CARAVANSARY