Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-01-26


rose, shook himself tossed his head proud
Iy and began to talk as if he had never
known grief.
All this time our horses were feeding on
the rich grass with such relish as only
Arabs escaped from the desert can know. !
saw Tabal looking thoughtfully at their
swelling sides as if he were concerned about
the matter.
Are thy sins troubling thee that thou
art so solemn, good Tabal?'' l said.
by the holy prophet, sins enough have
to trouble me, " he answered. Yet it was
not of them was thinking, Look you how
these horses swell. If we were to be pur-
sued, where would be their wind? Let us
take them where the grass is less sweet"
Thou speakest wisely" replied. Let
us 60"
/ put Ahmed on my mare by way of ce-
menting our friendship, and then Tabal in
sisted l should ride his horse.
Il have the goats pleasure in climbing"
he remarked twill be but pastime to
me-"
Nay, nay, Tabal," 1 said, II will not
consent to anything of the sort. lam more
of mountain child than thou art. Icould
scramble with delight over rocks, the mere
look of which would make the giddy. Be
sides thy wound is worse than mine
NAY, not while have two feet to walk
and thou but one whole leg" he answered.
'Tabal, do not put me to the trouble of
hosting thee by the back of thy neck and
the wide part of thy brooches. Up with
thee. Not word more. Am not leader,
and shall 1 not be obeyed?'
Tabal laughed loudly, and declaring
was making him as the grandmother of a
hundred children leaped into the saddle.
At first our path was no more than fox's
trail running devious and dizzy course
round the base of great rocks and along
the brow of beetling crags, and at 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 a sort
of level dip several miles in extent and Civ
ing one the impression of having been hol-
lowed out by the hand of man.
1--WE must go warily," said Tabal. Per
chance we are not alone"
When he spoke, we were winding among
a confused mass of powders, 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 at once heard
strange voices, and looking up saw 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" an
swered Tabal. who was coolest of us three
1--WE have lost ALL"
Nay, by my fathers honor, that is a lie!''
said the Bedouin. We have here two as
good horses as ever blessed a mans sight
Yet there is truth in what thou hast said
for presently We shall be without them
Take these horses, Saba, and get We down,
my friends" addressing Tabal and Ahmed.
And thou step beside them" turning tc
me, $50 that we may see if We be worth
stripping. Torn and ragged" he remarked,
examining us like IA Jewish pawnbroker's
assistant. Yet 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 more than he deserveth."
He may strip my dead body" l said
stepping quickly back and pulling my pis
toll, but not stitch shall he have while
Breathe
"Sayest thou so?' laughed the chief
Il have spoken" l 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. Mo
manned, 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 a 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, Sherbet and tobacco
things you would not see in Bedouin en-
campment oftener than once in a lifetime
There were also many horses and q drove
of camcls, 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 200, squatted to eat, Tabal Ahmed
and myself being ordered to join. In ap-
probation, us 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 gaelic which had been roasted
whole. AS usual at such merrymSkinRs
decency was thrown to the winds. Every
man had VOLTS appetite and took VOLTS
ready method of appeasng it. The chief
opened the proceedings by thrustng his
hand down the gazelles mouth and tearing
out its half raw tongue. Taking a huge
bite himself, he requested me to follow his
Bite he said, holding the bleeding
fiscs of flesh to my mouth. Bite BY
the prophets mule, never hast thou had
such a sweet morsel under thy tongue.
Thou wilt notr' he exclaimed as l drew
back in disgust. Then is thy belly likely
to cry out ere thou hast more to offer it.
Come ye hither," he called to Tabal and
who were a little distance off.
Come ye hither and bite. Ha! ye know
how to drive the fangs," as they complied,
What aileth the other dog?"
Defeat lieth heavy on his stomach, Su-
put in one of his comrades, with a
laugh.
"Perchance, Add FL Mahsin." returned
Suleiman Nevertheless the rogue shall |
eat. 1t is my humor. Per1ition to him,
what is he that he should cross my purpose?
Come near, thou dog, and bite" he added, |
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, II have already |
eaten and have no appetite"
mo appetite for such as that, thou mon |
grel cur! Thy vile stomach knoweth not |
what is good. Had / eaten 2-year-old |
camel, yet would find appetite for such |
sweet bread as that. say to thee, stick |
thy teeth in it,"
might have persisted in my refusal, for |
the look of tn. thing sickeued me, but Just |