The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-04-07

men back their spirits The tolls OF the
desert were forgotten, and every heart beat
eagerly for the chance of spoil and glory
that was at hand. Amood Sims troops,
on the contrary, though they made n great
show of valor and enthusiasm at our ap.
proach, were IA miserably draggled and
downcast as if they had just crept out OF
the mire after a trampling by the enemy,
and all their shouting and brandishing OF
arms could not hide the deathly fear that
was upon them. To put trust in the intre-
pidity OF such deplorable losels was like re-
lying on the valor OF company of scare
crows.
Amood Sim himself rode out to meet us,
calamity mounted on a richly caparisoned
charger and attended by a suite in magnif-
cent draperies and blaze of variegated
coors. Nature had given him a soldierly
figure, and being very gorgeously and i'm
posingly dressed he would, in looks at least,
have been the beau ideal of military
leader but for the irresolution Of the rest
less eye and general air of dependency
that pomp appeared powerless to lift.
The meeting of the two princes, however,
was extremely cordial, both dismounting
and embracing in the presence of the as
sembled host But when the preliminary
civilities were over and Abou kuram
showed n disposition to come TO business,
Amood hestated, made excuses and then
all at once became excited and hysterical.
Launching into distracted tale of the SUI
pernatural, which any old wife in Scotland
would have been ashamed OF, he declared
he had had the clearest ocular proof that
the man on the black horse was none other
than satan himself.
"As for Yumen Yusel," he cried, -four
ishing his sword, "he is but child in war!
Were he here now would shear off his
cowardly head as a swift reaper taketh the
ripe barley. But can man prevail against
the devilY" And he cast doleful look at
Abou kurem as il to say, Its really use
less, you know, risking our lives"
"Perchance he is not satan himself, but
a little devil" replied Abou Kuram, who,
while not without his touch of supersti-
tion, held Amood's fancies in contempt.
81 long TO set eyes on him; If he be satan,
that may know his looks; if he be aught
else, that make his body a sheath for this
sword"
"Ismy brother madS' asked Amood, with
deep concern.
"Yea. mad with thirst for battle" an
swered Abou Kuram. will my brother
give orders to have his men made ready"
But Amood had still multitude of pre-
texts for delay. For one thing Abou Ku-
ram and his gallant army must be feasted
ere fighting could bc so much as thought
of. The march hither had been long and
arduous. and i'll befall him If il should ever
be said he had forgotten how TO be hospit-
able to his friends
Abou kuram, however, was too familiar
with guile TO be inveigled. With manner
that was the pink OF courtliness, yet had
in it more than "a suggestion of imperious-
ness and austerty, he declined festivities.
saying that feasting would be sweeter after
victory, and that he would joyously eat the
carcasses of 100 sheep when Yumen Yusel
and his satanic lieutenant were crushed.
He was aided and abetted in his policy of
aggression by Ismael Numar, Amood's sec
ond in command, "A brave and capable Off
Ger had he been free from the trammels OF
pusillanimous superior. Amood yielded
a reluctant consent, the kettledrums and
cymbals broke out in noisy rivalry, and
the troops marched out TO bivouac on the
plain.