Wichita eagle., 1888-10-27


slong his ko1y arms and C-4,.r.-
knees. A frightful smile dls-orced IS l..-e
It was evident that Al saw this gigantic
phantom as well as myself, for be had turpet;
as pale as sheet; his hand clutched convul-
sively the carb:He, which until this moment
had been slung to his belt Ihad not strength
60 address this grisly specser, though Ali did
not give me time to do 50. l saw him raise
his carbine TO his shoulder, and the report
rang through the air, repeated hundred
times By the echo in the ravine. But the
specUer did not stir; he seemed only to devour
his repast more greedily than before.
Fire again, Ali Fire for cur Hvesln A
second bullet whistled through tbs air. /
snatched the carbine from his hand. | took
eITn-once-twice-thri each time as
II fascinated | advanced several PAGES, IS I
saw that my bullets net no resistance, but
went through empty air. Finally, beside
myself with terror, flung ny carbiae TO
tne earth, drew my saber, and springing on
the hrsr shelf OF tide table rock where the old
man was still seated devouring his hideous
repast--vhen-ohl my frisnds-oh, Heaven
l shall never forget the horror Of that mo-
nent-tbe old man slowly turned his head,
bus beard stained with blood, and txed on
me his cavernous, deep set eyes, whose orbits
CLEANED ike coais Of fire.
Here De Tkon, who seemed TO live over
again this frigh5fui episode OF his life, leaned
forward on the stone pillar He went
through the whole scene His hands were
clenched, the veins in his neck swollen TO
bursting, while the pale moonlight OF tho
tropics seemed TO magnify his figure and
gestures. In the silence OF the desert his
voice, halt stated with emotion. made Us
saudder. The terrible vision seemed actually
to pass before our eyes.
Then, my friends" he continued, ga
naneless terror freze nv blood ] could not
meet this internal gaze. and | started down
the slope at full speed Sprnging over
masses Of stone, woucding myself against
Jagged points Of rock, while my faithful and
terrified companion followed me-, invoking
Allan in brea1hless, Encoherent phrases How
long this flight continued before we came 10
our senses / cannot teA Only the faint Light
OF the rapidly sinking sun showed US the in
extricable Labyrinth through which We were
wandering. \ burning thirst consumed me,
which | could only try TO quench with few
han4fuls OF melting snow, mixed with earth
When | recovered myself q little, con-
cluded that | had been the victim of an hal
Inclination induced ~ fatigue and by the
hunger and thirst which had tortured ne for
- many hours, and the horror of feeling
that We had lost our way But then. whv
should my faithful Ali have had the Same
fear, and why should it have manifested
Itself By exactly the same visionss I made
up my mind that whsIever happened. or
whatever visions might cross my path, that
would not betrey my perception OF them
by word or sign.
Our route now seemed every moment TO
become more dreary, gloomy and monoto-
nous; we were utter! = worn out; We wens
alonG Ike automatons, stumbling through the
last go-ses which separated US from the
plain below, and from safety. Suddenly we
found ourselves IL 5le botton Of small e1-
tIHct crater, and l saw advancing toward ua
4 troop OF horsemen- They we're riding at
full 5aIop, wheeling abruptly to avoid tho
points OF rock, and sweeping in circle
round and round the edge Of the crater
Their horses, white with foam, bounded over
the heaps OF basalt; thousands of fiery
sparks Lew from their boots, and each
cavalier carried a long, slender lance,
which was aimed ST me. This must be an
haltucination, since Ali sees nothing, said
to myself, when suddenly at one of the IN
u11eraole charges Of ny enemies, Ali drew
his saber and flung himself in front of NE to
cover my body from the lance. Doubt was
no longer possible. The faithful fellow had
been watching these horSelnen, but, Ike
my self, he had determined to say nothing;
but his devotion had overpowered his will
Save yourself, my nasterl Death to the
hourcesI Seize your poniard or we are lost
a blood red mist passed before nv eyes.
bounded forward and s1I-uck wildly with my
dagger. tried 10 defend myself, but felt
sharp, cold steel pierce my side, and as dark
ness came on | found myself stretched, ex-
hausted and bleeding, on the plain, with q
deep wound IN nay side. Who dealt this
woundi Could l have done it myself in nv
efforts at sedf-defense-or was it the ven
geance OF the Agri-Dlhi l shall never know.
but one thing Is cerUain-while this scar
taTohs in my flesh, I swear by the Heaven
that looks down On Us tonight, that never,
never more will attempt 10 set foot OF ths
accursed noUntain--George kohn In Detroi,
Free Press.