Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1894-05-30

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hand clutching the hjlt Of lis dagger, hi:
bla ling eyes on the ground. But, looking
up and finding Tabal and me watching, h'
rose, shook himself, tossed his head proad
| " and began to talk as if he h.. neve1
known a grief.
All this time our horses were feeding or
the rich grass with such relish as onl!
| Arabs escaped from the desert can know.
saw Tajal looking thoughtfully at thcil
swelling sides as If hcwere concerned about
tie matter.
"Are thy sins troubling thee that thor
art so solemn, good Tabal?" I said.
"By the holy prophet, sins enough have
I to trouble me-" he answered. Yet it wa:
| not of them was thinking, Look you how
these horses swell. II we were to be pur
sued, where would be their wind9 Let us
take them where the grass is less sweet.
Thou speakest wisely" replied. LET
US CO."
| put Ahmed on my mare By way of ce
menting our friendship, and then Tabal in
sisted should ride his horse.
81 have the goats pleasure in climbing,
he remarked. "'Twill be but a pastime tc
me-"
Nay, nay, Tabal," 1 said, II will not
consent to anything of the sort. am more
Of a mountain child than thou art. lcould
scramble with delight over rocks the mere
look of which would make the giddy. Be
sides thy wound is worse than mine
Mount, my friend, and let Us be of.
"Nay, not while have two feet to walk
and thou but one whole leg" he answered
s"Tabal, do rot put me to the trouble OF
hosting thee ov the back OF chy neck and
the wide part of thy breechcs Up With
thee. Not Il word more. Am not leader,
and shall not be obeyed?"
Tabal laughed loudly, and declaring
was making him as the grandmother OF
hundred children leaped into the saddle.
At first our path was no more than q foX's
trail running devious and dizzy course
round the base of great rocks and along
the brow of beetling crags, and ct times SO
steep that the riders had to dismount and
almost hoist their horses by the bride reins.
Then suddenly the aspect Of the place
changed, and we found ourselves in sort
of level dip several miles in extent and Civ
inc one the impression of having been hol,
lowed out by the hand OF man.
ave must go warily," said Tabal. Per.
chance we are not alone"
When he spoke, we were winding among
a confused mass of bowlders momentarily
expecting to debouch upon the open space
or plateau. was stumbling on behind,
nv eyes on the ground for the greater
safety Of my neck. when all at once heard
strange voices, and looking up saw dozen
men about Tabal and Ahmed, some pull
inc at the brides and others dancing about
in n disQueting manner with spears and
matchlocks. 1t required no wizard to ex
plain tie situation. They were Bedouins,
and we were prisoners.
whence come ye and whittier 80 ye:'
demanded man who appeared from his
air of authority to be the chief
1--WE are fugitives from the battle Of
which my lord has doubtless heard" an
swered Tabal who was coolest OF us :aree
I'VE have lost all"
"Nay, By my fathers honor, that is lie"
said the Bedouin. "Ic have here two as
good horses IS ever. blessed mans sight
Yet there is truth in what chou hast said
for presently ye shall be without them
Take these horses, Saba and get ye down
nv friends" addressing Tabal and Ahmed
And thou step beside them," turning tc
me, 80 that we may see If ye be worth
strippinc. Torn and ragged" he remarked
examining us like Jewish pawnbrokcr's
assistant. Yet methinks these garments
NAV be worth having. Mohammcd," h,
called ont, with his hand on my shoulder
take this fellow and leave him naught
but the skin God gave him. By my sword
tits more thar he deseryeth."
lie may grip my dead body" said
stepping quickly back and pulling my pis
tol, "bus not stitch shall he have while
breathe!'
"Sayest thou so?" laughed the chief
~ 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 a comrade worth having. No
hammed, thou mavest leave him his clothes
as well as his skin. Heaven hath been
gracious Of late, and each man may in t! :
meantime carry his own garments. 1t will
be convenience. And now, my men, 'tis
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 q smaller
opening higher up the mountain, we found
preparations in progress for the least OF
which the chief had spoken. Fires were
blazing, meat was roasting and cakes wee
burning among the ashes, and while the
cooks were busy others were laying out
supplies OF coffee, sherbet and tobacco
things you would not see in Bedouin en-
campment oftener than once in lifetime.
There were also many horses and 4 drove
of camels, besides bundles of dresses and
various other articles of merchandise, all
testifying to the exceptional luck OF the
band in it's recent enterprises.
When we arrived the cooking was held to
be dona. and the company, numbering at
least go, squatted to eat, Tabal, Ahmed
and myself being ordered to join. In 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 a gazelle which had been roasted
whole. AS usual at such merrymakings
decency was thrown to the winds. Every
man had a VOLTS appetite and took VOLTS
ready method of appeasing it. The chief
opened the proceedings by thrusting his
hand down the gazelle's mouth aud tearing
out its half raw tongue. Taking huge
bite himself, he requested me to follow his
example.
Bite" he said, h.'ding the bleeding
piece of flesh to my mouth. "Bite. By
the prophets mule, never hast thou had
such a sweet morsel under thy tongue.
Thou wilt not" he exclaimed as l drew
back in disgust. Then is thy belly likely
to cry out ere thou hast more to offer 1t.
Come sc hther," he called to Tabal and
Ahmed, WHO were little distance off.
"Come ye l;ther and bite. Ha! ye know
how to drive the fGngs, rs they complied,
What aileth the other dog?"
Defeat leth heavy on his stomach, Su-
lehman" put in one of his comrades, with
laugh.
"Perchance, ADD cl Mahsin," returned
Suleiman. Nevertheless the rogue shall
eat. 1t is my humor Perdition TO him,