The National tribune., 1882-09-28
OUR YOUNG FOLKS.
The Bullet-PrOOf Man: A Story Of
Northern Africa.
by Ddrid Ker.l

the I'll hGDIdran 1dSS ldllSlIS iihO " Ni"'-N 49, |
the northern horizon; quivering film OF IN
tense heat along the line where the rich blue
| of the cloudless sky met the not, hIeieSS
brassy yellow of the desert; and IN the fore
| ground a group of Arabs, encamped beside a
! tiny stream, in the shade OF the clustering
palms that overhung it.
Some were munching handfuls of parched
corn, others were lying fast asleep, while one
dred-up old scarecrow with one eye, and a
head like a worn-out scrubbing brush was
droning out some interminable Eastern Ie-
gend.
The story did not appear to get on very fast,
| however which was not surprising lnasmuch
as the whole of it, from beginning to end III
it ever had any, was pretty much IN this
style:
"Now when the Prince Seim (may his name
be honored foreverD came up to the gate OF the
palace-a gate higher than the dome OF the
Kaabah [holy placel at Mecca, and built all OF
marble whittier than the whitest mllk-lo!
there stood before it giant, mighty and eX-
ceeding terrible. Then was the Prince OF Gull
| istan sore amazed and said, Never since L,
Selim son of MahmOud, son of Sayld, son OF
Ali, first wore yataghan [sabreJ have be-
held such monster as this"
And so on for another half-hOur, keeping
poor Prince Selim waiting at the gate of the
palace.
But on a sudden an exclamation OF astonlSh-
ment broke from one of the group, and all eyes
were turned to stare at a spectacle quite as
wonderful to them any of the marvelS 10
which they had just been listening.
Sauntering leisurely over the burning PLAIN,
,1c.,cr fha
boulevards of Paris or st. Petersburg, instead
of traversing one of the most dangerous spots
in the whole of North Africa, was solitary
man, coming slowly toward them. True, lie
wore the white mantel and huge many
folded turban of the East, but he was none the
less European, as his fair complexion, we'll
trimmed beard, and jauntily cut pants sutd-
GENTLY showed.
Instantly the universal listlessness changed
to hustle and excitement The sleepers woke
up the lunch party forsook their dates and
corn the story-teller and his hearers started to
their feet together, and all alike hurried for
ward to meet their strange visitor.
1 But to their unbounded amazement the
strange visitor took no notice of them what
t ever beyond slight bow and the usual Peace
4 be with you,'' spoken in good Arabic, though
n with an unmistakably French accent Step
a ping into the shade of the palms, he bent down
g to the stream, took lcng draught of the cool,
e clear water, and then seating himself upon the
4 bank, took off his turban and began to fan his
e hot face with fallen palm leaf, as if wishing
h to show his GOODNESS in double sense.
e The Arabs were completely taken aback.
S They had seen men look pale, and try to run
Al Id ,ar1lO lOpty
j fierce, and rush at them pistol in hand; but
t man who paid no attention to them at all, and
who hardly seemed to know whether they were
there or not, was thing which they had never
O seen BEFORE and they did not know what to
a make of it. In fact, like most men of their
q class, the moment they encountered man
whom they could not frighten, they at once
began to be frightened themselves.
At length the chief, seeming TO think him.
y self bound to set an example of courage to his
u" followers, walked right up to the stranger
while the rest approached more cautiously
very much as man approaches strange dog
I, which may spring up and bite him at any
~ moment.
is peace be with thee, my brotherl" said the
q chief. in voice not quite steady as it might
have been.
r, "With thee be peace, oh, sheik [chiefl OF
a, the children of the desert!" replied the un,
DS known.
ID "What seeks the Frank [Europeanl chiet
among the warriors of the tribe of Ben
N Asyr?"
lb II am magician, answered the stranger
re quietly.
to The Arabs looked at each other with undis
oSo hon,
and a Frank magician at that! Who could tel
of what he might do to them? For every Arai
to had heard the fame of the mighty sorcerer
id who could make wagons run without horses
of ships 90 without sails messages fly along wir
IN through the air swifter than arrow, LITTLE
ur scraps of paper as money, and other scrap
ofpaper no bigger than true believers turban
re show the whereabouts of all the wells, rivers
+s hills and caravan tracks, over an area Of thou
of sands ofmiles Evidently this unknown gentle
of man was not a man to be tritied with.
G. Il am magician" repeated the mysteriou
m guest, before any one could speak in reply, AM
Nv I have come to see if in the tribe of Ben-Asy
= there be another magician like myself, and
a try my power against his
i'll This challenge was followed by gloom
and universal silence. But suddenly cur
-, ming twinkle showed itself in the chiefs sma
tIo rat-like eye. Perhaps this strange man wa
. only boasting in order to frighten them. A
any rate, it might be worth while to see wha
o, he was made of, and how much he could reall
~ do. So tho chief made very polite bow, an
To- said:
-, "We are far from the tents of our tribe, an
-. none of our great magicians are with us; bu
~ let the wise man of the Franks show us HI
90 power, that we may behold it, and honor hil
,+o as he deserves"
THAT will I do willingly" answered tn
stranger with readiness which rather dl'
concerted the worthy chief. Look all OF yo
unon this coin and he held out a slIvt
franc-"which | have marked with circle, q
We see Thinkest thou, shelk OF the Bel
Asvr, that thou canst hold it too firmly for m
to take it away?"
with the blessing of Heaven and OF tn
Pronhet. I can," replied the chief, contidentl!
Let us try, then" said the stranger, pres
ing the coin into the Arabs entended han'
which instantly closed upon it as II meanin
never to let it go again.
"Presto! pass!" shouted the magician, IN
high shrill voice; and the chief, opening h
hand, found to his unfeigned dismay that