Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1877-12-20
CHAPTER XIII.
nAJAm AND HIS BAND RETURN.

Frank was charmed, and oasping the girls
hand, he exclaimed as the glow of gene
rous enthusiasm manted his manly check:
"Listcn; you shall be as dear and
precious to mo as though my mothor had
been thine. Como, Mo are in danger herc.'
81 had forgotten" said the girl, adding:
"Folow mep'
Frank stopped long enough to reload his
weapons, and theu followed the lovely
stranger whom he had adopted in such a
romantic manner, aud under such strange
circumstances, as his sister. 1t YVES late in
the afternoon when they emerged from the
passage, upon the scattered debris which lay
upon the open plain about the ruins.
"lIcad tho way to the fountain" said
Frank.
The girl, who had resumed her vail, led
the way along tho edge Of the ruin, when
suddenly shot was heard, and ut least a
dozen Arabs appeared rushing toward them.
Frank had just time to drag ZilDah behind
a pile of crumbling stone, when half dozen
bullets whistlcd over their heads.
clay low!' called Frank, when rising to
his feet, with his repeating carbino he
blazcd away at tho advancing assassins.
lie was good shot, and when II couple
of their number had fallen to the sand, the
others camc to halt.
ooh, have cost you your lifc!" the girl
exclaimed, in accents of torror.
"Don't you believe it," answered Frank.
"I am worth dozen dead Bcdouins vet"
The fellows had not only halted, but
when Frank fred onco or twice more at
them, they rotrcatcd bcyound range.
"Lct US ny," said Ziilah.
elbow far are NC from the haunted wcll?"
asked Frank.
"Not more than hundred yards"
"Well, if We can once reach that, and
once mount my horses We arc all right"
They commenced to dodge from stone to
stone, moving toward tho haunted well,
when they were attracted by hearing shout
of cxultation Looking across tho plain,
the cause of this cxultation was discovered.
Far in the distance appeared band of
| horscmcn.
As Hilla's eye fell upon the cayalcadc she
cxcaimcd
"We arc undone! It is IIujah and his
band!"
Courage, my brave girl; we have not
escaped then. thus far to make it losing
game at the end"
81 know you arc brave and might hold a
dozen at bay; but l1ajah has fifty spcarmc en-
under his command, and he is q brave man,
who cannot bo driven back, and under his
leadership Ills men would advance under a
| perfect shower Of DEATH"
The words Of HilIah we're almost immc-
diatcly verified, as the Bcdouns who lad
attempted the first attack, seeing IIajah SO
near, rcgaincd their courage, and started
boldly in pursuit of the young American
and Iillah. Frank selected good poin,
from whence to fire, und let dtivo at them
again. Still they pressed forward, and
iajah, with his band, was approaching
nearer and nearer. The Bedouins had
learned Franks tactics, and had taken to
cover, from whence, as opportunity offered
they fired their muskcts. An open space of
twenty yards still intcrvencd between the
fugitives and the haunted well They
made several attempts to cross this space,
but the shots from the blacks caused them
to tako to cover again. Frank saw tho
Sheik Hajah, with his band, drawing nearer
aud nearer, and his heart sank within him
lie began to realize that his fate was sealed.
Hllah touched him on tho arm and said:
"Good bye, brother; 1 would liked to
have lived and had thee care for me-"
"What mean you?"
"I am going to tho Bcdouins: that will
make diversion in your favor so that you
can escape"
"You surrender to them -Dcver"
"But must"
"lf you do, IT, must surrender with
you"
"No; save your life, md forget me
"Never!'
"You will only perish in the cnd without
saving me-"
"With life there is hopcv' said Frank.
and, tho next moment, he joyful, ex-
claimed, "Courage, girl; behold; there
comes our rcscucrs!"
The girl looked in the direction indicated
She saw second band of horscmcD Gwen
IN tho distance, Frank had recognized them
as his friends, and Iilah, nt glance, saw
that they were other than Arabs.
"Ihey arc your fricnds?" sho said.
"Yes."
"Thcy arc few in numbers; lIaiah's bnnd
numbers moro than hundred spcarmcn;
let mo 60 and give myself up, and you NAV
at least have ono chance to escape with your
lifc."
"IIiston, girl; tell you if my friends were
already hero and my rescue certain. ~ Md
not leave thee but dio with ,kz~,
l,;,,,.. : .ge