The Wichita daily eagle., 1895-02-07

had been away from home for two
whole years, and their appearance
showed that they had experienced the
severcst privations.
Far into the night the festivities ex-
tended, for the returning caravan
would pass on its way on the morrow.
Everyone was stirring very early the
mex. morning, and preparations for the
! departure of the two caravans on their
opposite courses were pushed forward
/ with all speed. Yussuf had gone some
little distance oft to look after the bag
gage, when Trevayne saw Hassan walk
up, and after casting malicious
glance at him, go few steps further
on and say something in a hurried
manner to the chief of the caravan,
who was standing close by, and who
at once turned and gazed at Trevayne
with deep frown on his dark, SCARED
! face. Then, before Trevayne could re-
alize what was happening, Hassan
stepped up, and thrusting his hand into
the folds of Trevayne's haik, pretend
| cd to draw forth small dagger. 1t
was the veriest trick, most clumsily
performed. The next moment, to Ire
vayne's utter amazement, he found him
self surrounded by scowling Arabs,
| who, before he could defend himself in
any way, pounced upon him, tied his
| hands behind him and pushed him to
| where the chief was standing.
Now, however, the meaning of Has
sans insulting trick was apparent in
! Trevayne. No doubt the lying hound
| had professed to have discovered plot
to murder the chief. for whose benefit
the dagger farce had evidently been
enacted.
But ne was wrong. Hassan's design
was far deeper one than he had con-
ceived. Nor had he long to wait be-
fore making the discovery, for Yussuf,
hearing the hubbub, rushed to the
spot. In minute he had grasped the
situation. Wringing his hands, he
grovelled at the feet of the chief and
addressed him in tones of piteous en-
treaty. Trevayne glanced at the i'm
passive Arab chief; at the imploring
Yussuf; at his captors, armed to the
teeth; at the motley crowd, attracted
| by the conmotion; and the knowledge
that he, the central figure, knew least
about it all, caused his impatience to
break all bounds. In a loud voice he
called Ynssuf, who rose from the sand
| and slowly came towards his master.
There was a. look OF despair in Ynssuf's
eyes as he cried:
'God is great, but the Evil One is in
our midst to work mischief. The dog
of a thief has told the chief that thou
even thou, lord duke - hast stolen
his dagger, and he asks that thou
nlayst be punished as one Of the true
/ faith"
Then the full horror of his situation
flashed upon Trevayne.
''Surely," he cried. as his face paled-
surely they wof't cut my hands or
burn out my eyes!' Then In a frenzy
! of fear, he shouted: ''Tell the chief that
it was only trick-tell him why that
fiend did it-that he tried to murder me
! the other night"
Yussuf trembled Lord duke" he
said sorrowfully, Il have done even as
thou hast said. and more also, but the
chief will not listen. lie says that his
eyes cannot lie"
Tell him." cried Trevayne, in des-
peration, that if / am harmed, my
people viii come and kill him and all
his tribe
/ Yussuf translated the threat to the
chief. who calmly replied:
''Kismet. 1t may come TO pass even
as the infidel sayeth. Let the inidel
suffer the penalty of his crime" The
80 - hanI -rd
/ then went into his tent.
Justice is sumnarily dispensed in
the desert. The sentence had been
I pronounced and would be carried into
( effect on the spot. Trevayne was
dragged forward. Three or four Arabs
/ held him fast, while a couple more un-
i bound his arms sufficiently TO enable
I them to pull his hands ever a bale
of merchandise. One had brought q
| bowl of saltpetre, and another drew
| his knife ready TO infiict the wounds
which would effectually prevent the
I dog of an infidei from ever again rob-
/ bing true believer.
Trevayne had not tamely submitted
/ 10 all this. Death ne would have faced
without turning hair-but 20 be hor-
riblv MANNED for life was far worse
! than death. And novr brazier of char
coal was brought, and T-evayne noticed
with thrill of terror that small iron
was sticking through the bars and was
; already nearly red-hot- Despite all his
! efforts TO control himself, the agony Of
I his fear oyercame him, and he strug-
| gled like a maduian- Il was useless
! His hands were forced open and the
/ knife was actually uplifted. when. sud
7 denly, the chief reappeared, shouted a
I brief command. and strobe back tS his
/ tent To Irevayuc's inezprcssible joy
and bewildsrrso.It- the knife was
| slipped into its sheath and he was re-
I leased from his bonds. Without an