The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-01-27

Keeping his counsels to himself Abou
( Kuram quietly laid his plans about the dis
position of the troops, and by swift and
| hdroit maDeuver lie contriyed to get his
own contingent in the rear. The arrange
ment, as may be guessed, was little to the
taste of Amood Sim.
Finding himself unexpectedly where the
| fighting promised to be hottest, he came to
| Abou kuram with fine air of gracious
ness and profusion of honeyed words to
beg his great brother to accept the post
Of honor in the van But the great broth
| er's modesty would not suffer him to as
sumo glory that properly belonged to an
| other. BY all the right of war, all the pre-
negatives of fame and achievement, the dis
| tinction of leading to victory should fall to
the lion hearted Amood Sim, whose deeds
of valor were theme of inspiration to poet
and warrior throughout the length and
breadth of the land. 1t was lesson in
| guile that would have benefited any cour-
tier in Europe to note how those two ex-
pert dissemblers wheedled and palayered,
and how mean and worthless each made
himself in comparison with the other.
Abou kuran protested he was but ms the
dust under the hoof of Amood Sims
charger, and Amood Sim swore a solemn
oath he was not fit to bind the spur upon
| Abou kuram's heel. Abou said that Amood
was second Sikander el Rumi, and Amood
that ADolt was IN strength ana courage as
was Gabriel himself. So the soft blandish-
ments and subtle self depreciations went
on as feryently as if each man were con-
WINGED he spoke gospel truth But in the
end Abou kuram was not to be moved out
oil his humility, SO Amood Sim, after a
useless expenditure OF breath and time,
mad to make the best OF his unwelcome
| .,aI II
hohors: having reHalhed possession OIL
himself by this time he accepted the be-
nests OF tate without n rulile i'll his sleek
hypocrisy, though l Thought there was
something oil wry twist in his feignirg
mouth as he turned to ride to the post of
danger. No sooner was he gone than the
manner ana look OF Abou huram changed.
his eyes Slowed, his orows lowered, and his
lips were compressed TO an omlnous thin
ness.
"Our brother lieth with rare persuasion
today" he remarked dryly to koor ALI as
they watched the retreating figure, adding,
with a sudden truculency: "By my blade
point, | will drive him into it. tell thee
he shall fight, or IL he fly he shall find
worse foe in front than behind. Should
the eagle prove barn fowl, by faith. instead
of saving we will help to pluck It," He
paused looking over the assembled army.
in the looks of these armed mem" he
asked.
And such indeed was the martial and
imposing array that it might well have
made poltroon into hero, for the spirit
of battle was once more anmating the
plumed and hammered host that covered
the plain like n sea, its colors aflame and
its arms flashing like thickets OF steel in
the early sun. The allies had fed to the
mountains like sheep before the wolves.
They had been found broken, detected, ut
terly demoralized, because they were with
ont leader, and it was with difficulty they
had been brought back. But now, side by
side with an army that was fresh and sworn
to conquer, they were renewed in heart
and savage for revenge and plumber So
they danced about on caracoling horses or
straddling camels, tossing spears and
whirling swords and matchlocks to the
maddening incentive of pipe and drum
and cymbal and a tumult of whoops and
howls.
"That is the thirst for blood " said Abou
Kuram. Ride forward, Koor Ali, and
help our brother to make haste in getting
into battle array. Tell him we must pos
sess that height" pointing upward. ut
will be worth thousand men,"
Eager for action, koor Ali galloped to
the front with the message TO find Amood
Sim giving instructions about lighting
fires to roast some sheep and goats that
had been taken in the mountains Koor
Ali Instantly wheeled his horse and rode
back to Abou Kuram to report, Amood
following distracted at his heels
My brother is impatient y cried Amood,
when he came up The men need strength
for the toll and heat that are before them.
Wherefore not light fires and cook our
Abou Kuram replied that the men had
dates and water ready to their hand and
would be all the nmbler for not dining too
well before the engagement
stWhen the battle is won nv brother will
perceive they could eat with more leisure
and satisfaction" he added, with a grim
politencss that admitted of no DISPUTE.
Ill pleased, for he had resolved to hearten
himself with some handfuls of good NUT
ton, Amood Sim once more returned to his
place. and the men without dismountipg
hurritdly washed down a bunch of dry
dates apiece with draft of lukewarm wa
ter. The meaper meal was hardly swaI-
lowed when Koor Ali was careerinR to the
front again with instructions to Amood to
form and make for the height without fur
ther delay.
The swelling in the plain behind which
lay the forces of Yumen Iusel had the ap-
pearance of an enormous billow thrown
up in some upheaval or convulsion of ma
ture and solidified and fixed as it rose. 1t
was the only elevation in the plain, and, as
above indicated, we were to possess it.
Once upon the crest or ridge we could
make our own arrangements for annihilat-
ing the enemy We would make our pre-
paratUns at our ease and at the first OPP
portunity spring upon him, crush him,
mangle him, sweep him off the face of the
earth and leave him neither name nor in-
heritance among the sons of men. The
plan was excellent; all that remained was
the execution.
IvprA brppn ont ft, front In Y,pa.