The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-02-03
CHAPTER XIII.
m ANfpnp GINN'a pATArr


of men who cannot afford to waste energy
on words, neither heat of sun nor lack OF
water being allowed to detain u.s. In and
out among drifting dunes, across shifting
ridges over assures that would have swal
lowed us all without being aware of 1t,
through black rocks and scraggy shrub.
berry, dipping into valleys. climbing hill
ocks skirting villages-on, on we went,
with never an abatement OF the pace and
no hint of our burning impotence save
what might be gathered from flashing eyes
and keen set faces. 10 me it was the old
agony over again.
The pangs of thirst were upon me, and
my hurt was paining me dreadfully. From
his uneasy wriggling and his peculiar stooI
understood that Tahal, too, was suffering
But as we had no desire to be stripped and
left i'll the desert to console each other in
native nakedness no murmur of complaint
escaped our lips.
Two days and nights this continued with
scarce pause or remission. Our food was
eaten In the saddle, and, as for prayers,
heaven and the prophet would forgive
little present neglect in view of the urgency
of our business and the amplitude of the
after atonement. We did not think OF eat.
ing, we had no time for devotions, and such
momentary halts as were permitted were
wholly out of consideration for the labor.
ing horses
BY noon on the third day we entered
upon high plateau or tableland clothed
with succulent grass and giving promise Of
some sort of civilization. The eagcrness
of the men increased. They began to strain
their eyes, and whispers were passed that
now we must be near the place of spoil.
We came upon many herds of goats and
cattle, with some camels, and the herds
men when questioned told of the commo
tiou and revolution of war. Toward even.
ing one of them reported having seen
several bands of our own order, As well as
parties of troops that he took to be portion.
of the victorious army of Iumcn Iusel
Suleiman listened with interest and in
vited the man to become our guide.
GLOW shall | answer my master for for
saking the hocks intrustcd to mes' he
asked tremulously, Truly he will beat
me, and, il may be, have me put to DEATH
I'VE will ourselves take the blame of thy
fathlessness," said Suleiman. I'VE have
anotion of taking possession of these focks,
and thou shalt be our chief herdsman and
shall have two slaves for thy freudliness,
the sleellest that can be found, besides
much rich apparel and dainty food We
are in haste and cannot tarry. Get thee
hold Of my stirrup strap, my gazelle. So.
know by thy looks thou canst use the feet
God gave thee and canst easily outrun a
spent horse Thou shalt feast in Amood
Sims banqueting hall-yea, thou shalt b,
in paradise ere thou knowest it. BE not
afraid to grip, my brave one. And thou
wilt take us by the shortest way. 1t will bC
best for thyself"
We started at q good round trot, tn,
guide running as he was directed and no
daring to complain.
'rhou wilt do, remarked Sulemau en-
couragingly. Thou skippest like roe OF
the mountains. Yea, thou art ileeter> d
foot han the leopard. l said two slaves
By my sword hilt, thou shalt have three"
Presently we began to fall in with riva
bands of marauders, hard, heshlesS, tierc,
eyed rugues who scOwlcd and suarlcd a
each other and AT us, and rode faster ant
ever faster asthey found more and NOR,
competitors for Amood's spoils. AS the!
fouled and josLled in their haste there wer
high woids and sudden CLEANS OF steel. In
deed it often looked ms II we were on tn,
brink of decimating fray hut the Bedou
In, with booty in his eye. will use mucl
| uu-C Christan language aud many savag
gestures before staying to shed blood. s.
| they pressed together, imprecatiug fnri
ously. but nursing their private quarrel
| against more convenient time of settle
| mcnt
The vulture has not surer, quicker seen
| for carrion than the Bcdouin for the proT
| erty of the fallen or the unfortunate Frpi
| all points the children of the dssert-th
dirty, tawny, picturesque, warlike, crue
generous, ah inable progeny of Ishmael-
were conycrging upon the capital of tn
| luck less Amood Sim and making despei
ate haste to divide his possessions As W
l Il. Il
pany was constantly swelling, and SO wa
l the tumult Curses were banded as thic
as tests at revel-aud it was not orni
mental swearing, for the oaths were hiss,
from between clinched teeth and carrie
! with them the intention of swift deaf
| In the whole tumultuuus mob none spuE
deadlier words than the band of Suleimal
We were in danger of forgetting on
mission and breaking into CORY hostilitie
when, with the blood red flush of the SUI
set upon them, we deserted points of clu
terng minaiets. A few minutes later th
chimneylike turrets, at sight of which til
famishcd traveller blesses himself, and th
towers, OF castle were drawn clear an
firm against the dazzling splendors of IL
west Then the children of the desert, wit
such whoops and howls as no throats O
earth but their own can utter, clappe
heel to Hank, and the race became a ma
scramble with most of the features of
battle and n rout combined. 1t was {
the descent of wolves upon an unprotecte
sheepfold.
Just before the final dash orders wei
issued by Suleiman that il either Iabal {
myself showed the least sign of disloyalt
We were To be speared without question
ceremony, she legality of the deed to be col
sidered ufterward With the ltn,STledge
these heartening instructions safely lodge
In our minds. Tabal and | exchanged smil
ofinteiiigence and rode gayly with the re-
to the looting.
In spite of the forced march Suleiman
band was belatsd Already the town w;
in the panic of q sack, aud the compar
piled their spurs, growing vieiously at ii
thought of finding the pillaSing half don
The crooked channels of streets overllowe
with shrielting people who had been hunte
out of their houses like rabbits out o
burrows, to be chased for sport and reveng
in the open Their cries TO heaven and til
prophet were pitiable, but did not detail
us, for the call was eager on every hand
"1o the castle, to the castlei In the castl
Is the big spoil"'
The gloom of night had fallen when |
the midst of bowling and riotous pres
we clattered under its frowning bastioni
There was difficulty in finding gate, an
when discovered Il was only by using OF
spears, butt and point as was handles
that we managed to reach it. 1t was closet
but hundred shoulders and musket enc
burst 1t as at a touch and the surging mai
poured in with hideous noises. Ifanced
was not properly fastened. Before our a
rival the guards had been killed or owe
come, or, what is perhaps more likely, ha
Joined the looters at the first chance an
were already busy with their masters mo
valuable jewels and his prettiest wives.
The outer court was dark and full
maniacal people who behaved like an g
ragged menagerie. Dlsmounting inside I'll
walls, we gave the horses over toa stror
party of the most stalwart of our ban
who might be trusted not only to defen