The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-01-06
CHAPTER T.

u
on the verandad Of the Hotel Continenta
In the fun enjoyment Of good cigars
Ny companion was the most cookbook
ing. good-tempered. good-prIuciuled fei
low Of our set. easy-eoirg TO fault but
brave enough in the field. as witness
the mention mace OF bus valor in the dis
patches during She Nie campaign. As
he struck vesta on his heel and ut q
fresh cigar. however. d. exclaimed, with
a tnee OF sadness quite unusual, Phil.
old fellow. DO you believe in affinity or
predestination
NO" replied promptly. I'm not a
fatalist."
We'll" he said. Il have some curious
apprehension lately kind OF strange
indescribable dread OF my future. Try
how ! will ] can't shake ir off.
"Bosh, The idea of man 10 your posi-
ton talking like this, You have money,
bright prospects. hosts Of friends, and
and. by Jove, youU marry leave the serv-
ice and settle down before long, : expect
Never" H. replied gloomily. 'I shall
not live much longer"
Look here. Jack" said. rising. we've
had enough Of this. You and I are OLD
friends and I've never known You TO
have the blues or to show the white
feather yet There's sweetness IN mel
ancholy. admit, but if You intend &c
go 10 Tetuan tomorrow. take my adj
vice and get TO roost."
Tossing his cigar away he rose, and
signing heavily said: "An risht, / know
ought not to bother you with my affairs.
Good night"
His face had grown hard and set at my
last words and shaking my hand he
turned and left me.
Al o'clock on the following morning
our guide raped AT nay door and packed
the lunch on his horse while we tooa
our breakfast. Half an hour later, al Tho
FIRST sign of dawn. We uoisily galloped
down the deserted streets. The city gates
were still closed, but a gratuity 10 the
keeper opened one of them, ana We rode
out upon the deserted beach. After
few miles we struck into the interior,
across huge sandbanks that looked like
glaciers in the dim grey light. We passed
villages on the hill sides. picturesquey
buried amid rich tropical vegetation with
oleanders so abundant that they gave the
whole landscape "a rose-colored tint; then
over ten miles of abominable road.
mere donkey path never used by
wagon, and fun of stones ana other inn
pediments.
Our guide suggested that it would be
advisable to rest duI+ng the hottest
hours of the day. therefore we halted for
lunch at the FondGk, an immense, soil
tary, square stone building surrounding
a large unpaved yard. 1t is at the base
of a mountain, and was built years ago
for the protection OF travellers against
the hostile hill tribes.
The place is very lonely but no lover
of nature would ever tire Of II. High
Erass-covered mountains surround it, be-
yond which one catches a glimpse of
the Intensely blue Mediterranean, and
here ana there a spacious fix or other
tree invites the weary TO repose in its
shade.
While we consumed our chicken, eggs,
and oranges. washing them down with
bottle Of Val de Penas, our guide
wrapped himself in his burmese and
slept. When we had finished we went
outside for a stroll. and found that I'M
der the wall Of the Fondak three men
had camped. They were armed with long
rifles, and We knew from their forbddnc
aspect and their scalp locks that they
were Rihns. a tribe that refuses obedi-
ence-eVen to the sultan.
Our guide had told us that half a mile
away was a curious rock known To the
Roors as The Severed Hand. and with
out difficulty we discovered it. They
grey limestone crops up out of the grass
covered ground in "A most grotesque shape
and as Moorish tradition declares it to
be the right hand of Mahomet thousands
go yearly at Ram8dan to kiss it. We
found a low stone, worn smooth by the
knees of the faithful who kneel devout-
ly TO press their lips to the rock; and
just for the sake OF saying that we had
made our obesiance TO the prophet we inn
itated them.
Returning to the Fondak an hour later
we noticed that only one Riflin remained
From his dress he appeared to a sheikh,
and as he sat cross-legged on the mat
outside his tent he gave us peace
We returned his greeting in a few Ara
bic words we knew, after which he well
coined us cordially. spread rug for us.
and babe us rest and talk. He was very
old, small and thin with a parchment
like complexion, a pair of black piercing
eyes, and long white patriarchial beard.
He wore a burnouse and smoked Chi
bouk
You are English. I speak English-a
leetle," he said, after we had seated our
selves.
do your I asked in surprise 1--WE
try in wonderment."
"Ah.' he said. with a deliberate pull
at his long pipe. Il went to England
once. 1t is a matter for regret that you
are all Roumis."
] smiled His remark amused me.
Our religion has nothing in common, -
Jack said THE less we discuss it the
better. Have you lived here long,"
yes, my SON. the old sheikh replied
without glancing at him. For sixty years
/ have encamped under the shadow OF
these mountains between Tangier and
Tetuan.'
Then your opinion upon the Severed
Hand will be valuable l said. inter-
ested. 1--WE have just been to see it
Removing the chiboux from his lips. he
replied: 1T it our holy stone The
prophet placed his all-powerful hand in
Morocco as a proof that we are his
chosen people
Have any miracles ever been worked
at the spot?" said Jack.
The old Moor turned slowly. and for the
first time looked fun in his face.
He did not reply, but as their eyes met
the sheikh raised his hand with a sudden
gesture of alarm.
MY son! my son! Why have you come
here?'' he cried.
what reason is there that ] should MOI
ols 10 Of ttr-2 l..