Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-08-23
THE SOUDANESE SPY.
by WILLIAM NJ. GRAYDoS.

by WILLIAM NJ. GRAYDoS.
''Listen, Bruce, what's that!" and Car
rlston raised his hand with gesture of
silence and looked nj me intcntly. Then
we both dropped our cigars and rushed
out to the door of inc Embassy.
a gun-shot, plain and unmistakablc,
had echoed through the night air, and
we certainly had heard faint cry.
But IN the drcary street all WAS quiet,
and the solitary electric lamp reflected no
shadows save our own ON the pavement
OF the British Embassy, while the palace
across the way, with IFS coral facadcs and
massive carved gates, showed no signs OF
life.
Then gun went OF, drum began TO
rattle loudly, arms cashed, hurrying foot
steps echoed on the stones, and shouts
were given and answered listened in
'spccchiess establishment, and then rushed
back for my cap and sword. 1t was best
to be prepared, though what possible
ground for alarm existed could not see
Suakin was protected by II line of SEN
tries that extended mile beyond the
town. No signal had come from the on; :
skirts, yet here was this turmoil in the
very midst of the European quarter.
As hurried back to the door the great
palace gates swung open and II squad Of
Egyptian soldiers troopcd out, their
swarthy faces shining Under their crimson
caps. Close behind them, escorted bv
several officers, came ii tall. di,:niiicd
looking man. lie WAS barehcn;lcd and
held an unshe..thed sword in his hand.
recognized him mt first sigh; as .lc.,-
f nGd Ras III" f'tyntian Governor of S',.-
AIeSSrs. Surface and White are
making new the greater part of the
Central Hotel. The present i'm
provement will give 80 new rooms
Next season, perhaps, they will
raise the front another story.
The Wartburg Seminary, at Gra'
ham, Prof J. B. Grecvcr, principal,
will begin its next session Octohel
z. The eleg mt, commodious build
ings are among the best i'll thu,
county for such an institution.
hTr. Rccs L. Bowen, Jr., who Tia:
the subscription list Of the CLINCF
VALLEY NEWS, asks to have set
Elements made promptly as posi-,
hic, that he may get through tht
work before time to enter school. ;
Mrs. Rces II. Bowen, who was
called to Wythc county by the i'll
ness Of her mother, Mrs. Crockett
who died a few days after her ar
rival, returned last evening Sh,
was accompanied back by Mr.. San
Oglcsby, of Wythc.
On Tuesday next, County Cour
day, the Ladies' Aid Society, Pres
byterian church, will serve Dime
in the new Simmerman building
The ladies ask their friends and TIN
public to patronize them in thi
undertaking for the benefit Of TIN
church building fund.
Miss Lillian Ware, who has bee;
visiting Miss Annie Peery, left las
week for Abingdon, where she wi
town town; a s''""'
Not a stone or bush or mound OF
sand escaped scrutiny. The men were
widely scattered, clingmg far to the north
and to the south and drawing steadily
nearer TO the cnemy's lines.
l gallopcd straight across the plain,
closely attended by solitary trooper, II
brave fellow named Tom Fraser. kept
rs far as possibcin the direction judged
the fugitive had taken and l hoped to
have the pleasure of capturing him my
self, for the trampling of my horse was
muffled by the driftcd sand and would
not betray my approach until should be
close upon him.
A mile and half from the town lay a
belt of deserted intrcnchments from
which the enemy had been driven montl,
or so previous. AS we approached these
we slackcned our speed and began to look
for suitable crossing place. The Brit
ish shells had levcled them in places, and
Zone of these points we soon found, Il
break in the trench with n gentle slope
on either side. We rode slowly down
into the hollow, and rs our horses were
commencing to ascend again Fraser sud
denly tugged fiercely ut my arm.
''Look, Captain, look !" he whispered
cxcitedly, and as followed the range Of
his outstretchcd hand saw sight thai
made my heart leap. Off to the south ex-
tended the trenches in one unbrokcn for
nation, their mounds of sands rigid and
exact, and outlined sharply i'll the moon
light against the right hand wall of earth
was swiftly moving shadow. Even as
we looked the spectcr vanished around
curve and we saw it no more.
We pulled our horses heads round ant
dashed down the trench side by side, fol-
it was fully wide enough for three horse
men to ride abreast.
We Numbered on in silence. I clutchct
the rcins tightly with one hand and will
the other | held my saber. The Aral