The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-02-02

W uiuHp Ru WdfllN, HHll lHDdl Ger-
chance we are not alone"
When he spoke, we were winding among
confused mass of bowlders, momentarily
expecting to debouch upon the open space
or plateau. was stumbling on behind
my eyes on the ground for the greater
safety OF my neck, when all Mt once / heard
strange voices, and looking up saw a dozen
men about Tabal and Ahmed, some pull
ing at the brides and others dancing about
in disquieting manner with spears and
matchlocks. 1t required no wizard to ex-
plain the situation. They were Bedouins,
and we were prisoners
Whence come ye and whittier go YEP"
demanded man who appeared from his
air of authority to be the chief.
I'VE are fugitives from the battle OF
which my lord has doubtless heard,r an
swercd Tabal. who was coolest of us three.
1--WE have lost ALL"
Nay, by my fathers honor, that is llelt'
said the Bedouin. "Ye have here two as
good horses as ever blessed a mans sight,
Yet there is truth In what thou hast said,
for presently ye shall be without them,
Take these horses, Saba, and get ye down,
my friends" :" addressing Tabal and Ahmed.
"And thou step beside them" turning to
me, $50 that we may see il ye be worth
stripping. Torn and ragged" he remarked,
examining us like a Jewish pawnbrokers
assistant. "1et methinks these garments
may be worth having. Mohammed." =" he
called out, with his hand on my shoulder
take this fellow and leave him naught
but the skin God gave him. BY my sword,
tits 'aore than he deserveth."
He may strip my dead body" said,
stepping quickly back and pulling nv pis-
tol, but not stitch shall he have while l
breathen
''Sayest thou so'" laughed the chief.
81 have spoken" answered.
And, by that baby face of thine thou
hast spoken bravely," returned the Bed
ouin. "If thy deeds equal thy words,
thou art eomrade worth having Mo-
hammed, thou mayest leave him his clothes
as well as his skin. Heaven hath been
gracious of late, and each man may in the
meantime carry his own garments. 1t will
be a convenience. And now, my men, tits
time to eat and drink. Let us join our
companions, for by this time the feast will
be ready"
They took the horses and marched on, we
three walking, carefully guarded, in their
midst At their rendezvous, in smaller
opening higher up the mountain, we found
preparations in progress for the feast of
which the chief had spoken. Fires were
blazing, meat was roasting and cakes were
burning among the ashes. and while the
cooks were busy others were laying out
supplies OF coffee, shcrbet and tobacco
things you would not see in Bedouin en-
campment oftener than once in a lifetime,
There were also many horses and drove
of camels, besides bundles of dresses and
various other articles of merchandise, all
testifying to the exceptional luck OF the
band in its recent enterprises.
When we arrived the cooking was held to
be done, and the company numbering at
least eco, squatted to cat, Tabal, Ahmed
and myself being ordered to Join. lii ap-
probation, as he said, of my brave words,
the chief did me the honor of keeping me
close to himself, and we sat down beside the
carcass of Il gazelle which had been roasted
whole As usual at such merrymakings
decency was thrown to the winds Every
man had VOLTS appetite and took a VOLTS
ready method of appeasing it, The chief
opened the proceedings by thrusting his
hand down the gazelles mouth and tearing
out its half raw tongue. Taking huge
bite himself, he requested me to follow his
example.
"Bitr,' he said, holding the bleeding
piece 4 flesh to my mouth. Bite. BY
the prophets mule, never hast thou had
such a sweet morsel under thy tongue
Thou wilt mott" he exclaimed as | drew
back in disgust. "Thelris thy belly likely
to cry out ere thou hast more to offer it.
Come We hither," he called 10 Tabal and
Ahmed, who were a little distance off
Come ye hither and bite. Hal ye know
how to drive the fangs," rs they complied
What aileth the other dogY"
Defeat lieth heavy on his stomach, Su-
lehman put in one of his comrades, with
laugh
"PerchanHe, Add ell Mahsin" returned
Suleiman, Nevertheless the rogue shall
eat. II is my humor. Perdition to him,
what is he that he should cross my purposef
Come near, thou dog, and bite he added
addressing me- Bite, or by our holy re
ligion / will crush it down thy throat with
the shaft of my spear Nay, may even
widen the passage with the point
My lord replied in my humblest and
most respectful manner, 81 have already
eaten and have no appetite"
NO appetite for such as that. thou mon
grel curl Thy vile stomach knoweth not
what is good. Had l eaten a 2-year-old
camel, yet would find appetite for such
sweet bread as that. l say to thee, stick
thy teeth in it."
might have persisted in my refusal, for
the look of tho thing sickened me- but just
then my eye caught Tabal's, which gave
me hasty but earnest admonition. So |
bit at the outer edge where the meat was
best done.
"a dainty bite, by my saber hilt," cried
Suleman. "'rwas but pretense. Open
thy jaws and try again, as thou valuest thy
welfare. That is better. So, So, he laughed.
Nov thou shalt drink, my merry one. To
morrow morning may find it in my heart
to give thee to the sun to roast and the vul-
lures to eat. bat today thou shalt fare as il
thDiI vert bYpt her rpRa that - mil haI
held up goblet of coffee. ''If thou say
not it is the rarest mocha, will tell thee
TO thy pretty face thou art u scandalous
liar.n
drank, and the coffee was good, SO good
that my lips suacked of their own accord
''f1a, ha! my gazele hath the right taste
in his mouth yet" cried Suleiman THAT
is from the store of our beloved friend and
brother Amood Sim. Thou mayest have
heard of him. He is an unfortunate son
of lshmael, hut right good judge OF cot
fee. Yet is il not better than his sherbet
which delighteth the soul as the smile of
the houriss Amood Sim is man of un
derstanding. He goeth forth to battle and
leaveth his good things to the needy. Ny
blessings on him, May the holy prophet
give him the bliss of paradise"-taking
draft of sherbet ut grieveth my heart
to think that Yumen 4usel and that devil
on the black horse will be drinking his
wine and dividing his wives so soon. Take
cup of his sherbet, my gazelle. Hal thai
is good. Thou smackest thy lips again
Now thou shalt have another bite" and,
the tongue having by this time disap.
peared, he seifed the carcass and tore
hind leg off. He held it toward me, and |
remembering Tabal's admonishing look |
made fcint of biting greedily.
Nay, not all! By my faith. not allp |
cried Suleman. "Abd ell Mahsin, sees, |
thou thisi He who a moment ago would |
not put tooth on tongue is now ready tc |
devour an entire limb. He will be asking |