Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-01-20

dared not speak word. The crowd gaped
and heamed on me as one basking in the
favors of an all powerful prince, though
doubtless puzzled by the change of senti-
ment that conferred on me my distinctions.
IAN Arab can confer no more signal honor
than to present guest with horse of high
pedigree. A wife from his harem is small
thing in comparison.l
Thou wilt find the little Fatima of the
purest Kohlani breed" he went on, adj
dressing me-, lin shape and spirit IN
equaleas outside my royal stables. In her
veins is the unadulterated blood of the
prophets own mare. In fleetness as the
deer, in courage as the lion, in gentleness
as the lamb, in beauty as the gazelle, in in
telligence as the serpent, she will be to thee
both companion and protector, obeying thy
wishes ere thou hast time to express them.
She Will carry thee bravely to victory or fly
with thee swiftCr than the wind in defeat.
She will nurse thee when thou art sick, re-
joice with thee when thou art glad. She
will be thy lover and thy slave. See thou
prove worthy of her. And now there is
but one thing more; when thou seest the
sun looking for his bed in the west, come
hither and thou shalt find her ready for
thee"
He waved his hand to signify the audi
ence was at an end, and rising passed into
the interior Of the castle.
Verify the great Abou Kuram hath
shown thee favor beyond example," re-
marked Said Achmet as we returned for a
little to his home. Il think thou hast thy
fair face to thank. The truth of nature
will overturn many lies. As for the enter
prise on which thou goest it accordeth well
with thy adventurous spirit. The scent of
do iSf To hn IF n q
lion. Thy gladness is shining in thine eyes.
would could see thee again"
And may not return to Marabel in tri
umph!" l asked.
Truly thou mayst, but something tells
me thou wilt not. 1t was pleasant to sit
with thee over the evening pipe or pluck
ing the ripe fruit, hearing thee talk of thy
country and adventures. But the bitter
must be with the sweet. All things have
an end, and that which once was becomes
but dream. The time of parting is at
hand, and 1 shall lie awake on my bed at
night thinking of the stranger who came
from afar to cheer me in my solitude"
And the stranger will think of thee
with gratitude" returned. at is all he
has to Offer and thou hast it in full meas
ure. Wherever he may so, whatever may
be his lot, he will remember thy kindness
in the day of his trouble"
1T is surely enough" he answered in a
low voice that had culver in it. when
thou returnest to thy people, tell them that
beneath the burnoose there beat human
hearts. Now one last favor / ask of thee:
thou art now a man of influence; | COM
mend my Tabal to thy care, and the Lord
prosper thee"
MAY my best friend forget me if for
get thy son." Ireplied, and he thanked me
with gushing eyes
Early in the afternoon, in accordance
with Abou Kuram's orders, Said Achmet,
Tabal and myself went to the castle,
which presented Il scene of frantic commo-
ton. An csplanade or parade ground in
front was thronged with gaunt, fierce Wis
aged troops, some on foot, some mounted
on horses and some on dromedaries, wheel
ing and plunging and rushing to and fro
with maniacal yells and brandishing of
weapons.
On first catching sight of them through
a vista of palms and tamarisks 1 thought
that either they had suddenly gone stark
mad or that the enemy, following up his
successes in the field, had pushed on and
captured the castle. 1t added to my amaze
ment when Tabal, seeing what was going
on, boltcd forward, shouting frantically,
as though he, too, were magically bereft of
his wits. Having no taste to advance
among the flying spears, l was meditating
flight when Said Achmet touched me reas-
suringly on the arm.
1T is the Arzah" a variance perform
ed before going to meet an enemy, he said
with smile. They are getting up the
spirit of war. Methinks it will be bad for
the enemy"
Whatever might be the issue, there was
no DENYING the imposing ferocity of that
wild wardance.
The men were armed with variety of
queer and uncouth weapons-ancient
matchlocks, pistols, spears, swords, javelins
and daggers, which flew and flashed pro-
miscuously as if a company of bedlamites
had somehow possessed themselves of half
dozen armories.
AS soon as we were seen approaching a
band of horsemen dashed to meet us, whirl
ing their swordsi in the air so furiously that
in spite of Said Achmet's assurance that
the display was mere sport, l had an I'M
easy suspicion that they were bent on cut
ting us down by way of preliminary prac-
tice But just at the crucial moment, when
their lances were within IL few feet of US,
they wheeled with inconceivable quickncss
and dcXtcrity and dashed back the way they
came, yelling savagely. Two or three times
this maneuvcr was repeated, each time with
a madden dash and a quicker turning, then
drawing up suddenly they faced us, salut-
ing with a rigid precision that was in strik-
ing contrast to the wild movements they
had just gone through.
They had scarcely turned to get back to
their original positions when Il great Shout
went up, and NbUu Kuram, superbly mount
ed on d gag charger, came curveting and
prancinc on the csplrnude with drawn
ASSew fk,~
another mad outbreak Of the entire body
of troops, horse and foot Yelling and
flourishing and throwing their weapons,
they circled about him rather ms if he were
a captive for whose blood they thirsted
than Il commander whom they wished to
honor, while he rode quietly through the
maze, sitting his high spirited horse like
one born to the saddle. By and by the
tumult died down, and Abou kuram, still
riding about, noticed Said Achmet and my
self With two or three bounds of his leap
ing steed he was beside us.
Here thou art" he said. smiling down
upon me. 1T pleaseth me to see thee pune
tually, according to thy word. Hast said
farewell to the good Said Achmet, for the
time has come to mount and be off,"
II am ready, my lord, answered.
1T is well, for the shadows grow long
ana the sun Is naSIenlLR 10 HIS DeO. DFluS
the little Fatima," he said, addressing a
slave. she waiteth for her master"
Accordingly minute later my little
mare, fully caparisoned. was led ambling
into the parade ground. Addressing her,
the slave made pretty speech to the effect
that she was going forth to great honor
with the fair faced stranger; that she was
to obey his will, and that she would have
her reward in care that would preserve
her from all i'll treatment, and that she
would have dates to eat and sweet water
to drink when the perils of the desert were
past.
The intelligent brute whinnied, as if to
say she perfectly understood him. Then
the bride rein was formally delivered to
me, and she took step toward me, as if
acquiescing in the change Of proprietorship.
l stroked her gently as a token of good will,
rubbing her face and speaking encouraging
words in her ear after the Arab fashion.