The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-11-30

spow alternated With masses q,
blackened rock. We were nov. IN .
ravine which we were compelled TO
cross. Suddenly my companion
stopped. "Master, look towards the
center, on that table of granite; there
is some one there. Let us ask him
the way"
! advanced few steps, but what I
bclleld made the hair on my head
f,.irly bristle with horror. Yes, in
the center of the granite table a hui
man form was crouching in the shad-
ow. A gnant and hideous old man
three times the size ofany living man.
In Ills immense crooked fingers he
clutched q whole quarter of a sheep,
raw and bleeding, which, he was de-
vouring. The blood ran in streams
along his bony arms and dripped up
on his knees A irightfal smile dis
torted hts ftste. It was evident that
Ali saw this gigantic phantom as
well as myself, for he had turned MS
pale Us q sheet; his hand clutched
convulsively the carbine, which
until this moment had been
slung to his belt. / had not strength
to address this grisly specter, though
Ali did not give me time to do 81. I
saw him raise his carbine to his
shoulder, and the report rang
through the air, repeated a hundred
times by the echo in the ravine. But
the specter did not stir; he seemed
only to devour his repast more greed.
lily than before.
"Fire again, Ali Fire for our
lives!" A second bullet whistled
through the air. snatched the car
bine from his hand. / took aim
Observation-Disclosures each time
us if fascinated 1 advanced several
PAGES, as l saw that my bullets met
no resistance, but went through
empty air. Finally, beside myself
with terror, l flung my carbine to
the earth, drew my saber, and
springing on the first shelf of the
table rock where the old man was
still seated devouring his hideous re-
past-when-oh! my friends-oh,
Heaven! l shall never forget tine
horror of that moment-the old man
slowly turned his head, his beard
stained with blood, and fixed on me
his cavernous, deep set eyes, whose
orbits CLEANED like Goals of fire."
Here De Thon, who seemed to live
over again this frightful episode OF
his life, leaned forward on the stone
pillar. He went through the whole
scene. His hands were cIcnched, the
veins in his neck swollen to bursting,
while the pale moonlight of the
tropics seemed to magnify his figure
gestures. In the silence of the desel
his voice, half stifed with emotion,
made us shudder. The terrible Wis.
ion seemed actually to pass before
our eyes.
"Then, my friends" he continued.
ga nameless terror froze my blood.
l could not meet this Internal gaze.
and l started down the slope at full
speed. Springing over MASSES OF
stone, wounding myself against jag.
gcd points of rock, while my faithful
and terrified companion followed me,
invoking Allah in breatlless, incoher.
ent phrases. How long this fight
continued before we came to our
senses cannot tell. Only the faint
light OF the rapidly sinking SUN
showed us the ineXtricable labyrinth
through which we were wandering.
A burning thirst consumed me, which
| could only try to quench with a
few handfuls of melting snow, mixed
with earth. When l recovered my.
self a little, l concluded that l had
been the victim of an hallucina.
ton induced by fatigue and by the
hunger and thirst which had tor.
turcd me for SO many hours, and the
horror of feeling that we had lost our
way. But then, why should my faith.
full Ali have had the same fear, and
why should it have manifested itself
by exactly the same visions? Imade
up my mind thatwhateverh happened.
or whatever vision might cross my
path, that ! would not betray my
perception of them by word or sign.
Our route now seemed every mo.
mcnt to become more drcary.
gloomy and monotonous; we were ut.
tcrly worn out; We went along like
automatons, stumbling through the
last gorges which separated us from
the plain below, and from safety
Suddenly VIC found ourselves in the
bottom OF n small extinct crater, and
] saw advancing toward us u troor
of horselnen. They were riding al
full gallop, wheeling abruptly tc
avoid the points ofrock, and sweep
ing in q circle round and round tile
edge ofthc crater. Theirhorscs, white
with foam, bounded over the heaps
of basalt; thousands of fiery sparks
flew from their hoofs, and
each cavalier carried u long
slender lance, which was aimed
at me. This must be ar
hallucination, since Ali sees nothing.
1 said to myself, when suddenly al
one of the innumerablc charges O.
my enemies, Ali drew his saber and
flung himself in front of me to cover
my body from the lance. Doubt was
no longer possible. The faithful fel
low had been watching these horse
men, but, like myself, he had deter
mined to say nothing; but his devo
ton had overpowcred his will.
Save yourself my master! Death
to the Kourdcs! Seize your poniard
or we are lost"
A blood red mist passed before my
eyes. bounded forward and struck
wildly with my dagger. ! tried to dc.
fend myself, but ] felt n sharp, cold
steel pierce my side, and as darkness
came on found myself stretched, OK.
hausted and bleeding, on the plain,
with a deep wound in my side. Who
dealt. this wound? Could l have don't
it myself in my efforts ut selflcfense
OR was it the vengeance of the
shall never know. But
one thing is certain-while this sea-
throbs in my flesh, swear by the
Heaven that looks down on us to-
night, that never, never more will
attempt to set foot on the accurseG
mountain,-George Kohn in Detroit
Free Press.
A Substitute for Sugar.
Cno,lo.:,. A..