The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-02-12

N'A it-'', ANhoAAhoh, WIZ ACuTly k1llCQ
thy master"
preservation" muttcrcd the negro fer
vently.
shes comedy creature. INQUIRE
her name"
After II few words with the girl, Kha-
lifan rcplicd:
Master! May it please you, her
names Tincla."
at is well. Tell her that she enters
my harcm."
khalifan explained his masters
word. Tinela cast one hopeless glance
around her, then in despair she threw
herself upon the ground and cried pite-
ously.
"a curse upon her cries! Make her
ceasc! roarcd Osma nj, angrily
But Khalifan's endeavors to pacify
the savage maiden were futile. Spring
ing to her feet, Tinela struggled wildly
with the giant negro. Her cries and
screams at length attracted the atten~
ton of several of Osmani's followers
to his tent, but still the girl fought
and struggled for freedom.
Osmani's brow lowered, and, turning
to one of his satellites, he said, gruffly:
Go! bring her father"
In 4 few moments Tlncla's father,
bruised, battered and blood-staincd.
was dragged forward from the crowd
of captivcs.
Strengthening his head, and folding
his arms, the savage chicftain cast a
defiant look upon his prosecutors, but
when his glance fell upon his daughter
Tincla he scowlcd and ground his
teeth. There was dignity of mien
about the wounded savage that attrac-
ted even the admiration of his heart
less captors, among whom physical
courage was esteemed the highest vir-
tue.
In response to Osmani's brief com
mand two of the Manyema raiders
shouldered and aimed their guns 1T the
chieftain's breast. The savage remained
unmoved; he merely shrugged his
shoulders and glanced scornfully at the
guns.
Tinela's eyes distendcd with terror.
'khalifan, tell the girl to look
well upon her father! She chooses life
or death for him. Another sound or
struggle, and that frowning savage
yondcr will be shot Docs she consent
to behave with peace?"
After the negro had interpreted Os-
mani's speech the unhappy girl stiticd
sob, then turned and cast flashing
glance upon the Arab chief, and bowed
her head in sullcn submission.
''lla! The savage is tanned? Lead
her to my tent, and take that ugly
M'shcnzi away" Then, turning to the
bystanders, Osmani added: ''Bassi!
Iou can go"
AS the night hours passed the scene
in the Arabs camp grew wilder. The
victorious raiders gave themselves ND
to an unbrdled carousal. The more
sober Of the party danced and sang I'M
til their bodies were bathcd in per-
spiration, and they fell to the ground
exhausted
About midnight the rcvclcrs were
startled by stiled groan which APP
peared to cmanatc from the direction
of Osmani's tent, but rcassured by the
subsequent silence they aid laughing
ly:
lila! Our masters vixen shows her
.ecth again" Merrily the dance and
song continued, the deep bass voices of
the singers blending with the incessant
booming of the drums filling the still
night air with rcvcrbcrations.
Muddlcd with potent palm juice,
careless and stupefied, the drunken
raiders were too absorbed in their
carousal to notice Tinclas 1.-THE figure
glide from beneath the canvas of Os-
manis tent, and disappear in the
shadow and darkness
The night grew far advanced, and
the singing and dancing ceased. The
log fires burned low, casting Il lurid
glow upon the forms of the raiders,
who, overcome with drink, now Law
sleeping in all manner of grotcsque at
titudcs. Deep black shadows envcloped
the crowd of native captivcs, who were
huddled together in the center of the
zereba. But they slept not
The darkness incrcascd it was the
hour before the dawn. The wind
rustlcd through the tree tops in the
forest, and the heavy breathing of the
sleepers became more sonorous and
regular, and the frogs in the adjacent
swanns croakcd dismally at intervals.
Occasionally one of the wood fires
burst into iitful fla me, revealing the
squattirg form of n doing sentinel.
Then shower OF sparks would arise
from another fire, where half-burnt
log had rolled aside.
watchful sentinel glancing towards
the forest would have seen the glitter
ing of keen eyes. But the palm juice
had proved too potent The Arabs
sentrics slept.
Dark figures led by the native girl
Tincla, climbed noiselcssly over the
stocliade, and swarmcd like ants into a
shady corner of the camp. Ii one of
the sentries had but raised his head he
would have seen the plcam of tnurdor