The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1894-08-09

asked.
Most singular freak, you know" his
lordship answered, in real anxiety.
Been missing since dawn, you see.
Pearson, her maid, tells me that she rode
off, followed by Harris, at the first
streak of day"
There is nothing very alarming in
that" Latour rejoined, in relieved tone
"Sit down and have some coffee before
she returns for breakfast"
Couldn't do it, you know" Lord
Martindale replied, walking to the win
dow and gazing over the desert. "She
told Pearson to wake me in half an
hour-she'd be back by that time, you
know. That was two hours ago d
it's devilish strange, really"
1T is an odd time, rather" Latour
said absently. But Harris was with
her, and if anything wrong had chanc-
| ed"-
Cries from the street interrupted him; |
the clatter of flying hoofs sounded on |
the stones of the court, and as he glanced
down through the window sudden
dread sprang to his brain.
Morning stables nearly completed, the
horses of the cavalry escort We're tethered
to the long rope in the yard beyond, why
native dragons finishing the grooming
of their sleek coats by the last rub down.
AS Latour looked riderless horse, COW
cred with foam and snorting with fright,
dashed by the sentry, clattered up the
court and halted at the rope. Instantly
strong hands seized him, some stroking
his neck and muzzle, others lifting the
saddle and examining his sides, gored
by the sharp shovel stirrups.
Lord Martindale stared over his Shout
der, asking anxiously:
"That is the horse Harris rides? My
God, Latour, something is wrong!
may be a fool, you know; but if you
loved her as / do you'd understand,
really"
Without answer Latour clapped his
hands, speaking rapidly to the prompt
!. orderly.
Saddle Said Pasha and another quick
ly; sling my holsters and examine the
: caps Ask Capt. Ahmed to report here,
- he said, in Arabic.
a His mind was clear now, the soldier
! instinct rising strong over anxiety ant
- doubt. The riderless cavalry horse haC
run long distance, evidently over heav.
- sand. The two Arabs at the gate, tn
- taller one later at the hotel, Edith's i'm
~ perative wish to visit their camp, and
. above all, the unusual comment mad
y, on her by those stolid children of tn
T." dSsert-all these flashed into his min
Is and had formulated into his plan befor
u y he had even donned his uniform coa
~ As he rolled a loose veil about his ligl
81 helmet and slipped the strap of tielt
~, glass over his shoulder Capt. Ahmed Ell
~ tered. To him Latour said rapidly,
~ Arabic:
SS Captain, l have reason to fear tro'
90 90 BILE with Mohammed-ben-Zi2fs Arab
Mount twenty men with loaded ca
- bines; trot to the Caliphs' Tombs. If
%; am not in sight signal by firing you
W. revolver; but, if you see me riding
~, ward the tents, follow at full speed"
Nv As Ahmed turned to obey Latour sa
~ to Lord Martindale:
"Though your fears may be groun
.ho less, my lord, have ordered horses 50
:no s died for us. This glass will surely 81
!en us view of Lady Edith FROM the Ba
ivy el-Nas8r as she gallops home Tor orea
lse fast. Come; they are ready"
Restless hoofs clattered below, a
Out Lord Martindale again asked, as he +
iil' lowed his host:
at "Was not that horse the one you loa
Du' ed Harris?"
en- eyes: but he's an Arab" Latour
" piled, forcing levity through the sick
cen ing dread that oppressed him. "Bc
IeiS Bells offers bad training for handling
-, ~ desert born"
1T "The beggar is such damnable rid
reallyr' the other growled. elf he
ays' been thrown and left her ladyshlp
~ ride alone I'll break his bones,
lo,r know"
,oro Two magnificent Arab steeds stoo'
ona the doorway - one grand stall
IA white as curd and taller by hand t
10 the average native horse. His
flank. the corded muscles of his TIN
,uoa and fat forearms, showed power et
n ba to the bottom indicated by great brei
,ino of chest; and his calm, large eyes q
b. 81 with human intelligence into his
'a.,,t ters. as he rubbed his lean muzzl
5aa5 his shoulder and snorted low welc
cav, through bright pink nostrils.
For Said had been Zoultikar Pa
gift to Latour with his rank of hey,
ny his master had tested his pure bio
of the Aneyzeh breed, flowing stra
love from the mares Of the prophet;
rs in gree jealousy guarded as that OF
tame sultans selves-in more than one
weep Gus ride. But now ne examined
vows girths and bit buckles with UNI
care, raised the flaps of his holsters
ID her loosened the two army Colts re
id he in them. Then he said, abrr
man; "Mount, my lord;' and the next
,ough ment those two men, so strangely
was again-more strangely STILL sent to
han a Quest by one motive-were gall
week, toward the Gate of Victory.
If the Through the gate, out on the
desert, nearing the Tombs of The
ed, he liphs, yet no sight OF hVlhS tliils
reams the hot sands. For the sun, nov
versed hours high, flooded the flat plain
binding glare, and his heat, Dec'
Edith though it was, was close and oppre
And ANY rider for pleasure had soug
y with shade OF holne-certalilly Vi ,he
TO the long ere this, and Latour's hear
TX. the as they galloped near those wor
him mausoleums to the very spot wh6