The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-12-04
die and sat running his thumb along The
edge. When he had finished his coffee the

Read that" He took the papor. closely
folded. from his Rirdle and tossed IL across.
The Ethiopian picked it up. unfolded a tel
eqraph blank, walked to q swinging lamp
Six feet two. Broad. On board 8. g.. Per
STA from Bombay. Seize him; all his fam
lily and luggage. Let nothing escape"
Mobarak glared like n beast upon the
silent Bedouin reclining at ease upon the
divan. Bending forward. his white teeth
flashing in the lampliRht, he muttered:
Who pays yonr for trying to entrap Mo
barak2"
The Bedouin quietly lifted the sword that
lay beside him, and without taking his eyes
from Mobarak, he threw IL ont of tho open
window. at is rusted, dull" he said, Ian
guidly. and really l have not tho energy to
use it. were it as bright and keen al your
own dagger"
Mobarak still stood there, towering, his
long white robes swaying as his huge body
trembled with rage, while his strange guest
filled his pipe and lighted it and threw
himself back upon the divan.
"Mobarak." said the Bedouin, calmly. II
am not afraid of you. If you could benefit
yourself one atom by killing me you would
do it. of course. What do / care for your
counterfeit rupee mint? What do l care
for your other shortcomings in Bombay?
What do | care. either, thnt your beautiful
wife entrapped a British subject and with
you buried him in Lobeids's tomb-a mere
boy"
"All English are spies, and you have q
design in DetrayinR a Mussulman to infidel
dogs" Mobarnk snarled.
did ever a child of Ishmael do anything
without design" asked the Bedouin.
when l have betrayed u brother to infdeIs
then plunge that knife into me. l have, u
design in what | do. Ii ia for my own bet
terment that | tell you that your house is
watched by an English officer; that the ways
to Damascus and Teheran are blocked and
guarded; that tomorrow morning will sec
Mobarak, Ethiopian. doomed! Now choose
between the dagger and that diamond ring
you wear, as my reward. Be quick. Moba-
rak, for If ! live.I am going, now"
mot till l know who you ars!' Mobarak
muttered. leaning heavily against the door.
If thou hast served me must bless thee.
II thou hast cheated mo l must He
grinned and ran his finger along the edge
of the dagger.
II am the dust of the desert" said the
Bedouin. IF you would know me give me
the ring. 1t shall not leave my finger till
thou hast seen both it and me again and
art fully satisfied that my words have been
the truth"
Mobarak slowly slipped the costly dia-
mond from his finger, He handed it to the
Bedouin.
"He who serves Mobarak gains by it. He
who deceiyes him loses everything. Now,
whittier goest thou?"
II 60 to tell ths English officer that !
know Mobarak and his household arc
within, and that so long as every gate is
guarded he need not weary himself to
stand on watch all night. Abdel Ishmael
himself will wander where he listeth. A
little freight steamer starts with the first
daylight for Muscat and Alden, and if it be
the will of Allah. Abdel Ishmael may turn
back again to his own Arabia. l do not
know"
go, and God go with you'll" exclaimed
the big black rascal reverently, moving with
~alacrity from the door and even fastening
! the departure of his guest; for a new idea
> had evidently taken possession of his
. thoughts.
r The little freight steamer sailed at the
earliest daylight. and the following morn.
. ing the regular passenger steamer followed
! it. Their ronte was the same az far az
D Busbire. where they would separate; the
passenger steamer going to Bombay anC
> the freight steamer across to the coast Of
. Arabia.
! The passenger steamer being the taste,
: reached Bushire nearly an hour before the
: other, and was lying in the bay when the
= = little freighter came putting up.
' There was an unusual number of passen-
gers to take the little freight steamer fol
Arabia. Two boatloads of men in ordi-
nary English dress put out from the whar
as she approached. They boarded her anC
made their way down to the little cabin
After a moment the noise of a fierce com,
IlOLlOu aIl5 up II Soihp6lllOl way i u5l
all was still, and presently the huge form
of Mobarak emerged, his powerful arm
safely protected by handouts. He was fol
lowed by his entire family. and they wer,
at once transferred to the steamer for Bonn
bay.
Before he loft the deck, however. Pau
CLAYTON accosted HIM!
.See here, Mobarak," he said. stepping
forward. "Here is the diamond ring which
you gave me in Bagdad. I've no more us'
for it. l told You you should see US bot
again and know that l spoke the truth.
told you that the English wante'
YOU. l told you that L had 4
motive for what l did. / told
you the house was watched by al Englisl
officer. My rank in the army is very low
Mobarak, and yet | am an officer. l did no
tell you to take the steamer for Muscat
That was your own doing. But | felt 8
sure you would take it that | told you tn
morning would see Mobarak doomed!
stated after you in the first place expectin
simply to learn where you went and wher
you stopped; and if your wife. and you, hat
e not played that tiendish trick on me. be
tween Bassara and Bagdad, | should neve
have thought of doing more; but after that
n though l was only Il boy, | vowed to brin
you to Justice. l could only bind you wit
a thread. but it was n strong one, and
n held till the handouts were ready. Now W
10 are quits, Mobarak.-but the next time yo
he make a pilgrimage to Mecca. you had bette
J. not try to bury a boy alive in the tomb {
ID Zobeide!'
1.-THE END.
u BOY AND LION.