The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-02-01

The ncrt minute TubdI and lrere h7tg
ging and embracing.
kled and CLEANED like the sea, and the dis
tant mountains stood out definite biz
black line against the pellucid wester.
horizon.
Revived to a fresh interest in life, began
TO consider the means Of escape from this
Wilderness and so, having dressed my
wound with wet rags, climbed, not with
out difficulty, into the saddle. Thequestior
was which way to turn. Eastward, north.
ward southward. the Unbrolten expanse OF
sand stretched till it melted into liuuid
blue spaces on the rim of the desert. To
the west alone did there appear to be any
prospect Of suceor, so turning my horses
head to the mountains we started on our
tracklcss path.
For hours we plodded on through billowy
ridges, my horse sometimes sinking over
the fetlocks, sometimes treading firmly on
the crust and always going just as he
pleased, for he had done well enough to de
serve n llCtle license. Ii soon got very
hot again, and my steaming clothes sug-
Gested portable vapor bath aimlessly
adrift in dreary region of sand. The steam
kept it moist, though it failed to keep me
cool; what was more. it did much to soothr
the throbbing pulses of my wound which.
in spite Of the nights soaking and baking,
had still n sharp, shooting pain If | CHANGED
to move unwarily. But the excruciatinC
stiffness that had made my leg useless OH
dismOunting after the hunt was gone.
There was no sign Of life about save here
and there fugitive jackal or hyena run
ming with its head down and its tail clapped
tight between its legs, or overhead hawk
orynlture sharply outlined against the sky.
l judge these gentry must have had a royal
feast-indeed that il wonld be many days
ere their gOrging would be ended-and
shuddered 10 think of the ravening that
went on among the slain on the field of bat
tie.
1t must have been near noon when was
again broling in the glow Of the vertical
sun that | gave "a start on deserving the
tiniest black dot on the ashy waste far to
southwest. 1t was impossible to say
whether it was dead or alive, rock, a
man or beast but any diversion was well
come. and made in its direction, Quicken
ing my pace. ! had not gone far when |
guessed it to be horseman crawling
toward the mountains. Putting my horse
to a eanter, drew rapidly near the stran-
ger, but for awhile he held on his way,
either as if he did not see me or were too
far spent and too indifferent to deviate in
his course. But at length he halted alb
ruptly, then after moments examination
came galloping to meet me. My heart beat
quick with both fear and gladness. If this
were a Bedouin, our meeting would be tilt
Tor lite, and was but i'll prepared for bat
tie, but if he should prove a friend-oh,
joy of joys, it made me giddy to think of
the bare possibility.
On galloped and on he galloped. saw
him whirling his lance. and almost uncop-
sciously | waved my sword in return,
Then, shouting at the pitch of his voice, he
put his horse to the charge. That rather
startled me, and was in two minds about
turning and making off with all possible
speed, but in the critical moment, when
my courage had all but ebbed recognized
familiar face. Then l. too shouted wild
ly and my horse bounded as the spurs went
into his sides. The next minute Tabal and
were hugging and embracing like long
separated brothers, both of us having
leaped to the ground in order to get the
closer grip.
You may be sure we had each a multi
tude of questions to ask and answer. but
before | would hear anything of Tabaps
adventures since our parting l insisted on
looking to his injury. 1t was bad, he said,
but not deadly. Barring his left shoulder |
very carefully, found shattered gunshot
wound that gave the flesh torn and bro |
ken appearance different altogether from
the clean cut had got. dressed it as !,
gently and as well as was possible with the |
means at my disposal, service for which !
poor Tabal was infinitely grateful.
we are OF different nations and reli- |
gions yet surely We are not strangers, ;, he |
Said. embracing me again Had l seen
thee now for the first time | would have
driven this lance through thee But hence
forth it will be turned against him who
seeks thy hurt. Tabal, the son of Achmet,
swears it, And he took the oath in the
mort solemn manner known to his race.
That done ho played the surgeon to me,
Thou art lucky exclaimed Tabal, with
professional pride, when | was stripped.
BY my taith, the man who gave thee this
hurt knew not his business, or thou might.
est cast away thy leg forever. Methinks II
had my weapon upon him MS he had his
upon thee he would now be food for the
kites and hYenas"