The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1856-09-10


the Shoik.
They were all followpy IN our tracks
some on horseback ant some on foot.
tracking us on the sand soil like wild
beasts. There was no lo1er any use in
fight. and we turned ashc TO conceal
ourselves as best we miet. Lakdar
chose a clump of tamarindana thorn
trees, and l, lcoping down th,bank. ran
into the water. which came abvt to NV
shoulder, while the running Nes and
broad.leaved plants concealed H head
from view above. | had ha:dly rpched
this place of comparative sccurtywhen
l heard the voice Of horscman ealing
come over here we see their track in
the sand as clear as daylight, thcro IRE
two of the dogs together y
Immediately tho clnttcr Of gallopim
feet, and the sound Of horses painting un
der their rapid course, came to my ears,
and announced the arrival Of the Shiek
with all his men.
Let ten men 90 forward he cried,
'until the tracks are lost, and then stand
still watching both sides of the brook,
and then the rest of you, my men, dis
mount and hunt up the brook until you
find the wrctches and bring them to me
alive or dead
| readily saw that when this order
was carried out, Lakdar's fate was de-
cidcd My concealmeu, was better then
bis and I entertained the hope that l
might be preserved to revenge his fate.
At this moment | noticed that the wat
er, which at first was only up to my
shoulder was mosteuirg my lips aud my
feet were gradually sinking deeper in
the mud. 1t is said, that lie that has
never any fear, is not human and am
not ashamed to say that at that time |
was well frightened not only by the near
approach of the knives of my pursucrs
but also with the Alternative prospect of
drowning in the water. l thought of
my tent and my mare.
was suddenly aroused from my pre-
occupations by the report of pistol, fol.
lowed by imprecations, blows and sounds
Of muskcts. 1t was the fusiladc of my
own cousin, who finding himself discov.
cred in his retreat, had fred his pistol
on his foes and then fell, sword in hand
under their shots aud cuts. BY few
words that could hear amid the camor,
learned that Lakdar was not quite
dead, and that they were dragging him
before the Shcik. Careless of the dan.
ger, and desiring, above everything, to
discover what thoy were about to do with
my friend. was about leaving my re-
treat. Wien two men jumped into the
bed Of the brook.
lie came down here said tic first,
pointing to my steps in the sand.
Yes those are lis toot-rriuts,' said
the other. turing towards the border
where | was standing motionlcss ten
steps off looking at him from between
the leaves that covered my head.
1t is queer continued he first, there
are no more tracks to be seen in the
bed Of the brook caa he have been
drowned Z?
At this moment heard steps on the
bank above my head, and a man called
to the Arab. who was uear me:
Mphammcd. .he Shcik sent me to
hav" as good knife as YOURS
What do YOU want with tue knife
asked the mar.
To cut Fl the head Of the dog whom
VIC have just takcu.' answered the mes
scucrr.
The thought Of cutting off mans
head was so pleasant an anticipation az
to beguilo the villains from their search
after me, which relieved me from one Of
the most uncomfortable position in which
] had ever found myself placed. From
what | had heard, my corsin was doom.
cd to lose his head, and / could do roth
ing to rescue him.
Persuaded that the men who had Just
left me would return after the execution.
and not being able without leaving the
PRINT OF my steps, TO seek another shell.
ter. | resolved to remain where | was
a root could reach in the bank above
my head, enabled me to raise myself for
an ipstnnt. and take u position which
would save me from the danger Of
drowning
After having heard the cries aud noisy
laugh caused by the triple execution
which was taking place behind me, it
seemed as if the horses were leaving the
brook, and soon all was quiet in the
woods around me.
Time moved on with tho waning day.
and | kept my difficult position until tho
sun sunk beneath the horizon. Present
ly the twilight mantled the woods and
stars one by one came out in the sky
and still all was hushed and no sound
came to my ear. l drew myself softly
out Of my retreat, and carefully ascend
ed the bank Of the brook. | listened
and looked around me nothing in sight,
no noise, except the oroaking of frogs;
no living being except some jackals !
wandering the corpse of Lakdar, which
found horribly mutilated and lying
with our two eagles, behOsded ono on
each side of him.
After having satisfied myself that l
was alone, | wrapped the body and head
of my cousin in my burnOus, aud placing |
it on my shoulder, proceeded towards the
place where we had hidden our mule in |
the morning, found him in the same
spot, quietly gazing on the grass at the
foot OF the tamarind to which he had |