Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-11-03
THE KAFFIR'S REQUEST
DY HARRY W. FRENCH.

some time before, While IL was In South
Africa, the largest Diamond taken from
the mines for years was stolen right be-
fore the open eyes of the officials.
Who took itl Some one who was in
Africa at the time. Where did he go
with ita To Europe, Asia or America,
perhaps, or he may have remained in
Africa. 1t was astonishing, but that was
the sum and substance of the informa-
tion which the officials possessed.
The gem was of fabulous value, and
every possible effort was made to find it.
Agents were sent to every point where it
might be offered for sale, and large re-
wards were set upon its recovery.
CHANGING to be at the mines at the
time of the robbery, imbibed, temper
arily, little of the intense excitement.
1t soon wore away, however, on a jour
ney through the wilderness, where was
out of the way of hearing anything what
ever concerning it; and before we en-
camped Ipol the rocks above Dongola,
looking down upon the Nile, the whole
event was so far forgotten that it would
have required something decided to
call it to mind at ALL
So glorious was the night that it
seemed a pity to sleep under a goats
hair tent, but we were to start again
early in the morning. and after watching
the sun sink into the distant desert, and
the moon rise out of the nearer Nile, /
reluctantly drew the coarse curtain and
closed my eyes.
Surely had not been sleeping long.
The moon was still over the Nile; but |
woke with start, wide awake in an in
slant, positive that something serious was
in the wind. and thoroughly on the alert
TO find out what.
My shelter was only small desert
tent, and my bed-a mat upon the ground
was directly in the centre as matter
of invariable precaution; for many rob-
berry, and sometimes murder, is com
mitted on the desert and the Nile, by
hands that are simply thrust under the
tent-cloth from the outside.
A narrow line of moonlight, coming
through crack in the tent, gave me the
position of the moon and light enough
to be positive that no one was with me
In the tent. Some one was somewhere
close at hand, however, aud intent upon
mischief. was as sure of it as though
my eyes were resting upon him at that
moment.
-intentiy listening, but All was
still, except for the invarlable noises of
night upon the Nile, and in proximity to
sleeping caravan. Here and there a
scavenger was barking. An Arab was
snoring not far away, and now and then
a camel sighed.
tried to convince myself that some
dream had reused me. and against nv
best judgment was forcing myself asleep
again when faint grating in the sand
outside the tent attracted my attention.
In an instant my ears and eyes were
fixed upon the spot, and slowly, very
slowly, | saw the tent-cloth move. 1t
rose little from the sand, and darker
object appeared in the narrow space be-
low. 1t was not light enough to dis
tinguish more, but knew very we'll that
man was lying on the ground outside,
peering under the cloth to discover nv
whereabouts.
"Ah, my dear fellow" said to my
self, ''you see know your tricks. I'm
sorry to trouble you, but you'll have to
come inside before you get at me-" and
breathed heavily and regularly to as
sure him that was asleep.
The tent-cloth fell again and | heard
the sand grating once more as he rose to
his feet He was disappointed. poor
fellow, and if he was only one ofthe host
of cowardly sneak thieves of the Nile he
would doubtless give it up and 90 away
after disturbing my sleep all for moth
ing. II he was more than that and thor
9ughly in earnest for any cause what
aver, he would presently come creeping
under the curtain at the door.
He proved to be very decidedly in
earnest, and less of coward than sup
posed was to be found on the Nile. In
no more time than it took him to walk
to the entrance the curtain was cautious
ly drawn back for an instant. A stall
wart figure stepped noiselessly into the
tent and the curtain fell again.
One glimpse was all that obtained.
but that one was full of suggestion. He
was possible in my tent door; but lIc was
giant. He was forced to stoopto enter,
and his huge black outline stood out, for
an instant, against the sky There were
broad and heavy shoulders, massive
neck, and the arm which lifted the cur
tain was scanned and bullying with the
muscles of Hercules.
One instant the moonlight had dis
closed this much. The next he was in
the tent with me, and all was dark. In
that instant, however, two other Incl
dents caught my eye. In his hand he
h., y, cleaning South African dirk, aud
rs the light crossed his check noticed
peculiarly savage curve to the lower jaw,
ending abruptly under an ear where the
large silver earring was further in front
than usual, owing to the fact that a form
or ring had been torn away at some time,
taking the lobe of the ear with it.
1t is always astonishing, when brought
to notice, what an amount of thinking
the mind can do in an emergency. Be
fore the fellow had time to take single
step from the curtain / knew that he
was Kaffir; that he had no more to do
with the region of the Nile than that
he had come long way for a purpose;
that the purpose was to kill me-unless
he was makinga mistake in Identity
and that we had met before. / could not
think how or where, but as plainly as
memory ever reproduced anything, IL re-
produced that savage jaw and lobeless
ear somewhere in the bright sunshine. /
also realized that he was much more than
a match for me in strength; that l had
no weapon which could be made to serve
1,ofo.. t ..ool,o1 ma. that Y ..,ac ~, ms,