The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-04-16

tiniest black dot on the ashy waste Ear TO
southwest. IL was impossible to say
whether it was dead or alive, rock, a
man or beast, but any diversion was wei
come, and made in its direction, quicken
Ing my pace. / had not gone far when l
guessed it TO be a horseman crawling
toward the mountains. Putting my horse
TO n canter, 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 20 deviate in
his course. But at length he halted abb
ruptly, then after a 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 IA tilt
for life, and / was but i'll prepared for bat
tie, but il he should prove friend-oh.
Joy of joys, il made me giddy TO think of
the bare possibility.
On galloped and on he galloped. saw
him whirling his lance. and almost uncon-
sciously I waved my sword in return.
Then, shouting at the pitch of his voice, he
put his horse to the charge. That rather
startled mo, and was in two minds about
turning and making Off with all possible
speed but in the critical moment, when
mycourage had nil but ebbed, recognized
p familiar face. Then 7, too, shouted wild
f, ly and my horse bounded as the spurs went
into his sides. The next minute Tabal and
were hugginp and embracing like long
separated brothers, both of us having
leaped 90 the ground ia order 20 get the
closer grip.
You may be sure we had each multi
. tude Of questions to ask and answer but
before would hear anything of Tabal's
adventures since our parting ! insisted on
looking to his injury. 1t was bad, he said,
but not deadly. Barring his left shoulder
very carefully, found a 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, a service for which
poor Tabal was infinitely grateful
1--WE are Of different nations and reli-
Cions, yet surely we are not strangers" he
said. embracing me again. "Had / seen
thee now for the first time / would have
driven this lance through thee. But hence
forth IL will be turned against him who
seeks thy hurt. Tabal, the son OF Aohmet,
swears ir.' And he took the oath i'm the
most solemn manner known to his race.
That done, he played the surgeon 10 me-
"Thou art lucky, exclaimed Tabal, with
professional pride, wig I was stripped.
by my faith, the man who gave thee this
hurt knew not his business, or thou might
est cast away thy leg forever. Methinks IL
had my weapon upon him as he had his
upon thee he would now be food for the
kites and hyenas"
"Ile wa clumsy, Tabal," I said.
Clumsy" repeated Tabal scornfully
NAY, it does not half express his want OF
skill Having got his lance upon ~hee. be
should have killed thee as dead as n roast
ed sid, bold the fellow In contempt"
Because my good friend, he did not
make an end OF one whom thou hast sworn
20 cherish and protectf"
may, nay" answered Tabal quickly,
seeing whittier his soldierly zeal had led
him. II meant not that. Praise be to
heaven thou art alive. ! meant that he
knew not how 10 drive his spear. See,"
and be made thrust with his own to show
how the thing ought 60 be done. "Me.
thinks that is the way TO put an enemy
into the dust. But thou art protected Of
God, be added reverently, "and it maketh
ine glad TO be with thee Verify am thy
servant to do as II pleaseth thee 20 bid me.
And praise be 60 God and the holy pro-
phet that We are not now having our bones