In the vast colonnaded courtyard of the Kaaba, in the heart of holy Mecca, sweating thousands of Moslem pilgrims waited their turn before the Black Stone, a gift of the Angel Gabriel to Abraham. One after another, the poor and diseased poked their heads through the opening in the rich, black drape to kiss the worn stone, rub their eyes against its holy polished surface. The rich mostly stood back, holding their palms toward the Kaaba as toward a fire and rubbing their faces.
Suddenly angry cries and fierce gesticulations broke out beside...
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