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you direct please reinstate。〃
To this somewhat peremptory message his father answered：
〃If your position unpleasant yourself to blame not Black
incident is closed。〃
〃Is it？〃 said the son of his father。 He called Stetson to his
aid and explained。 Stetson reminded him of the famous
cablegram of his 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 myI should say our
moving…picture lecture。 I thought it would look well if； when
I lectured on Turkey； I wore a Turkish decoration； so I went
after this one。〃
Peter regarded his young friend with incredulous admiration。
〃But did they believe you；〃 he demanded； 〃when you told them
you were an author and educator？〃
Stetson closed one eye and grinned。 〃They believed whatever I
paid them to believe。〃
〃If you can get one of those； 〃cried Peter； Old man Gilman
ought to get a dozen。 I'll tell them he's the author of the
longest and dullest history of their flea…bitten empire that
was ever written。 And he's a real professor and a real
author； and I can prove it。 I'll show them the five volumes
with his name in each。 How much did that thing cost you？〃
〃Two hundred dollars in bribes；〃 said Stetson briskly； 〃and
two months of diplomacy。〃
〃I haven't got two months for diplomacy；〃 said Peter； 〃so
I'll have to increase the bribes。 I'll stay here and get the
decoration for Gilman； and you work the papers at home。 No
one ever heard of the Order of the Crescent； but that only
makes it the easier for us。 They'll only know what we tell
them； and we'll tell them it's the highest honor ever
bestowed by a reigning sovereign upon an American scholar。 If
you tell the people often enough that anything is the best
they believe you。 That's the way father sells his hams。
You've been a press…agent。 From now on you're going to be my
press…agentI mean Doctor Gilman's press…agent。 I pay your
salary； but your work is to advertise him and the Order of
the Crescent。 I'll give you a letter to Charley Hines at
Stillwater。 He sends out college news to a syndicate and he's
the local Associated Press man。 He's sore at their
discharging Gilman and he's my best friend； and he'll work
the papers as far as you like。 Your job is to make Stillwater
College and Doctor Black and my father believe that when they
lost Gilman they lost the man who made Stillwater famous。 And
before we get through boosting Gilman； we'll make my father's
million…dollar gift laboratory look like an insult。〃
In the eyes of the former press…agent the light of battle
burned fiercely； memories of his triumphs in exploitation； of
his strategies and tactics in advertising soared before him。
〃It's great！〃 he exclaimed。 〃I've got your idea and you've
got me。 And you're darned lucky to get me。 I've been press…
agent for politicians； actors； society leaders； breakfast
foods； and horse…showsand I'm the best！ I was in charge of
the publicity bureau for Galloway when he ran for governor。
He thinks the people elected him。 I know I did。 Nora
Nashville was getting fifty dollars a week in vaudeville when
I took hold of her； now she gets a thousand。 I even made
people believe Mrs。 Hampton…Rhodes was a society leader at
Newport； when all she ever saw of Newport was Bergers and the
Muschenheim…Kings。 Why； I am the man that made the American
People believe Russian dancers can dance！〃
〃It's plain to see you hate yourself；〃 said 'Peter。 〃You must
not get so despondent or you might commit suicide。 How much
money will you want？〃
〃How much have you got？〃
〃All kinds；〃 said Peter。 〃Some in a letter…of…credit that my
father earned from the fretful pig； and much more in cash
that I won at poker from the pashas。 When that's gone I've
got to go to work and earn my living。 Meanwhile your salary
is a hundred a week and all you need to boost Gilman and the
Order of the Crescent。 We are now the Gilman Defense；
Publicity； and Development Committee； and you will begin by
introducing me to the man I am to bribe。〃
〃In this country you don't need any introduction to the man
you want to bribe；〃 exclaimed Stetson； 〃you just bribe him！〃
That same night in the smoking…room of the hotel； Peter and
Stetson made their first move in the game of winning for
Professor Gilman the Order of the Crescent。 Stetson presented
Peter to a young effendi in a frock coat and fez。 Stetson
called him Osman。 He was a clerk in the foreign office and
appeared to be 〃a friend of a friend of a friend〃 of the
assistant third secretary。
The five volumes of the 〃Rise and Fall〃 were spread before
him； and Peter demanded to know why so distinguished a
scholar as Doctor Gilman had not received some recognition
from the country he had so sympathetically described。 Osman
fingered the volumes doubtfully； and promised the matter
should be brought at once to the attention of the grand
vizier 。
After he had departed Stetson explained that Osman had just
as little chance of getting within speaking distance of the
grand vizier as of the ladies of his harem。
〃It's like Tammany；〃 said Stetson； 〃there are sachems；
district leaders； and lieutenants。 Each of them is entitled
to trade or give away a few of these decorations； just as
each district leader gets his percentage of jobs in the
streetcleaning department。 This fellow will go to his patron；
his patron will go to some undersecretary in the cabinet； he
will put it up to a palace favorite； and they will divide
your money。
〃In time the minister of foreign affairs will sign your
brevet and a hundred others； without knowing what he is
signing； then you cable me； and the Star of the Crescent will
burst upon the United States in a way that will make Halley's
comet look like a wax match。〃
The next day Stetson and the tutor sailed for home and Peter
was left alone to pursue； as he supposed； the Order of the
Crescent。 On the contrary； he found that the Order of the
Crescent was pursuing him。 He had not appreciated that； from
underlings and backstair politicians； an itinerant showman
like Stetson and the only son of an American Croesus would
receive very different treatment。
Within twenty…four hours a fat man with a blue…black beard
and diamond rings called with Osman to apologize for the
latter。 Osman； the fat man explainedhad been about to make
a fatal error。 For Doctor Gilman he had asked the Order of
the Crescent of the fifth class； the same class that had been
given Stetson。 The fifth class； the fat man explained； was
all very well for tradesmen； dragomans； and eunuchs； but as
an honor for a savant as distinguished as the friend of his。
Hallowell； the fourth class would hardly be high enough。 The
fees； the fat man added； would Also be higher； but； he
pointed out； it was worth the difference； because the fourth
class entitled the wearer to a salute from all sentries。
〃There are few sentries at Stillwater；〃 said Peter； 〃but I
want the best an