The Van Buren press., 1870-06-21

tue old tent, ana slept aloHe'
In the morning Mulek arose, and hav'
inc bowed himself upon the graves he
had made, and said his prayers he pre-
pared for the task before him. First he
darkened his skin with some berries he
found at hand and then lie gathered up
such provisions as he could find, and
filed leathern bottle with water 10
follow the track of the murderers over
the sand was easy enough, for there had
been no wind to oil them up.
For three days the boy followed the
trail, and when he awoke on the morning
of the fourth he saw q small village
ahead, which lay at the foot OF rugged
mountains. He pushed on, and the first
hut he stopped and asked for food. An
old woman named Noona owned the
place, and she admitted the applicant at
once. Mulek told her he was from the
mountains, and that his parents were
dead. She took pity, and Offered him
home if he would be son to her. She
had lost all her children, and was alone.
The Moorish boy readily accepted the
offer, and from that time he had home.
Old Noona protected him, and claimed
him as her own; and when the people
asked her whence the child came, she
said " He is my dead sisters child and
he found his way to my hut"
As soon as Mulek dared question Moo
ma he began to gain light. He found
that the chief Of the place was named
Ben. Zama, and that he was robber by
/ e.. Il, la hn n
he wished to know, and part of it he
! learned from the chieftain's own lips,
/ Ben Zama and seven of his chosen fol
| lowers were the men who had murdered
! his family. He made sure of this he
knew every man-and then he turned his
thoughts and energies in another direc-
ton.
| He began to wander among the noun
tains, and at length he found The place he
sought. 1t was where narrow she'll of
rock ran around almost perpendicular
mountain side, and overlooked fright
iul chasm, along the far-of bottom Of
which dashed and roared a swift, white
torrent 1t was wild, fearful place, but
the boy was not afraid Day after day
l
worked right bravely.
The shelf. which seemed to be midway
up the steep mountains side, led from q
rugged pathway which only the wild ga
zele had trodden before. 1t was not over
six feet wide at the commencement and
| then led for some distance in circutous
way, but when ii became straight it wild
- IN, t,la
plane descended at such an angle that no
man could have held himself on it, and
at distance Of twenty yards il ended alb
rupIly, leaving broad chasm open at its
foot Some convulson Of nature seemed
to have split and opened the shelf at this
point, for at the distance OF a few yards it
commenced again, and led off around tue
mountain on plane.
But the chasm had been opened clear
to the roaring torrent in the dim, deep
distance. The side Of the mountain had
been wholly cleft in twain, so that be-
| tween the two ends of the she'll there
was yawnng gulf.
Mulek got long, strong vines, and
having secured them to the rocks above
he Yet himself down the inclined plane.
Then be brought long, dry sticks, and
laid them carefully over the chasm, and
when be had framed a ground work thus
he brought grass and twiggs and broad
flakes of light moss. AT times he let
himself down upon the sweeping plane,
and at others he assembled I.ie mountain
by another way, and worked upon the
opposite side.
Months had passed since the boy Moor
| had commenced his work. 1t had been
a work Of great moment-of great mag
nitude--a work which few strong men
would have dared to commence alone
| But the boy had done 1t. Day after day
! he laborcd when he dared, and week af
ter week saw but little done But when
the months had gone and the rainy sea
son was ut hand, the work was complete.
One morning Ben Zaman sat in his
| tent, and with him were the seven men
who had helped to murder the Moorish
merchants While they conversed Moo
ma s boy entered their presence. lie wait
ed over week to find these eight men
together.
what now?' asked Ben Zama half
angrily.
The boy drew piece of yellow metal
from his bosom--a piece which he had
obtained from that very room u month
! before and handed it to the chief
"Whst is that, Ben Zama?' he asked.
"This," cried the TibbUun starting
It's gold, pure gold Whence came
It,"
"From the mountains
I" Ha. The mountains"
"Yes, valiant chieitain i found it in
bed where is wonderful mine"
You did p
"Yes. But the way is difficult of ac-
cess"
Never mind. 'Tis pure gold Lead
me there y
Ave lead us there ~ cried the other.
b Zama dared not object to his aids
following him and ere long Mulek was
leading the way oyer the rough path OF
| the mountains.
1t was wild difficult passage, and the
chicftain wondered what could have led
the lad thither. The latter said he had
come in search Of eggs for Noona At
the end of three hours they came to the
n rrow shell upon the steep mountain
sid, but rs the boy went boldly on the
mcn did not hesitate When Mulek
reached the edge ofthe declivity he stop