The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-06-27


still every time they were told-were
the talk of the whole country round.
But it unluckily happened that
among the many who heard and
wondered at these stories were a
gang of Arab robbers, who haunted
the neighboring mountains; and it
struck these gentlemen that it would
be no bad plan to get hold of this won
der-working European, force him to
unearth some of the hidden money
for them, and SO make themselves
rich for life.
one hot afternoon the professor
had wandered to considerable dis
tance from the camp in search of
new spot to dig for relics. He was
sitting in the shade OF bowlder,
thinking over all he had done, and
all that he meant to do, when sud-
denly there came gliding out from
between two great rocks right in
front of him six or seven tall, Wild
eyed. fierce-looking Arabs in soiIed
white turbans and ragged blue frocks,
every man with gun on his shout
der and huge knife in his tattered
crimson sash.
Herr Altenstein knew at the first
glance who these grim-Iookiny fell
lows were, and what they wanted.
But he had not lived for years in the
East without knowing how to deal
with Arabs. He never stirred from
his place, but only turned his head
slowly round, and looked full at
them through his great green specta-
cles, without uttering word.
Now, a story had got abroad about
these spectacles, as about everything
else belonging to tine "enchanter."
1t was said that he had killed tiger,
and put on its eyes over his own, by
which means he could find his way
in the dark, and see things which
"OiC " bC oCCu Wy uO OlS SloOS CO
when the superstitious robbers saw
the glare of these terrible "doube
eyes" turned full upon them, they
began to lose heart at once, to hang
back as if the professor had been a
loaded cannon.
Then Altenstain rose slowly to his
full height, and cried in Arabic:
"Who are ye who dare to disturb
me on my own ground ?"
The robbers looked scared, for an
Eastern brigand is always inclined to
be afraid of any man who does not
seem afraid of him. But their chief
thought of the buried money, and
plucked up courage.
art thou the Western enchan-
ter ?' asked he.
81 am," said the professor. sternly,
''and l know well why ye are come.
You wish to seize me, and make me
bring gold out of the earth for you;
but l fear you not"
The brigands eyed each other in
dismay. Who was this man, who
could read their thoughts, and who
thus defied them all, single-handed ?
But scared though they were, they
would not give up their hopes of
plunder so easily.
"Feringhi," said the chief, "the
Wise Man hath said, Words are
but dried leaves, deeds are fruit
What proof can'st thou give us that
thou art an enchanter?"
"Can the sons of the Arabs call
forth music out of the stone ?" asked
Altenstein.
"No, nor can'st thou, either" an
swered the robber.
81 cdn," replied the professor, SOL
EMMY, land thou thyself shalt see it.
Behold !"
So saying. he wound up his musi-
cal box under cover of the skirt of
his loose robe, and then, feigning to
pick up stone, he placed the box
twhose gritty surface made it look
exactly like one) on the bowlder
beside him. and called out to it:
"Give forth music ~
The first notes of "Die Wacht am
Rhein" had scarcely fioated on the
air when they were drowned by a
howl of dismay from the robbers, who
turned and fed as ifa lion were chas-
ing them. One let fall his gun;
another broke his head against a
rock; third fell sprawling into a
ditch; fourth upset one of his COM
rades and tumbled over him. Never
was there more complete "stam.
pede," and so long as Professor AL
tenstein remained in that part of the
country, no one ventuTed to modest
himaany more.
! A well. know Drpaphpr makeS the