The morning times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1897, 1896-06-07

less, if the advance or the kurdS could but
he stayed. There was a very riot in his
blood as be rose. and silently, with naked
feet, prepared 10 slip out OF the village. At
the head or the iltJle street a thought dr-
rested his progress. "Khe rifle! The beau
t:fnI riiIet' he whispered 70 himself. My
father has promised II 10 me- for my words
tOda ~
II was true. old Yussuf had pledged
hii.SsiI 20 give HiS son the coveted Amer
can weapon on the morrow. Simon stCDi
for moment ia the shadow Of the huts
thinking. and tr"u hurried bacE 10 his own
threshold. Within through the open door
way, he saw las father Sleeping. stepping
across the ,anded floor tnwar.ithe obi Cstitr
bench o. dark corner or the hut tn tOy
reached mis- arm into recess and pluc6-d
forth the rifle The moonlight Sh0ne IN -
polished barrel and ~ rhr Sluie moment
Old Yus~uf who slept Ike "a watchd"=.
started and sat up.
THE CuilI Armenian dawn was brcasins
ana thc Kurdish camp was astir. when a
ragged unkerupt Armenian boy came beg
ging food or tie soldiers. They beat hun
aud mtrh' probably have stain him Outri .rt
had they nor been intent upon breakfast.
- ~ WIS they preferred Go 80 over tnc.s
stcdmiug coffee and EIbOb> n meat. than 90
waste energy over a stray Armenian TAD
So simon son 90 YuSsuf for ~ was hc--i1d
chance 10 see his foes at near range AMI
To- learn their plans. They We're assuTe,ily
bound Tor 4 rgudouu. Nothing less than
the total destruction OF the little village
would satisfy thcm; and the word sped
from mouth 10 mouth that the arch Chris
! udn YuSsuf should be the first 10 die.
With cruel ieStS upon their lips and scent
I ing. Ike the tigers they Were. the blood
Of fresh victims. rode the Kurdish trO JiIS
along the road 10 ATgadOuH- Simon peFcHad
amid the crags commanding his chosen de-
file, saw them coming and made ready. He
waited until tie entire body of men hII
entered the narrow space between the
1 rocks. Then Bang went his rifle, and
| a hCrscuan rolled writing in the dust.
| 'Bang,' II went again, for this was a re-
| peating rifle. and q gain a kurd rolled over
| among the cactus bushes. LeapiHg To his
| feet the hoy ran like laPwing along the
| parapet OF rock as voEiey from the startled
Kurds riddled the spot where be had stood.
| Fifty yards farther on he gain opened fire
| and sent three shots rJttling among the
| bTigands. Then, fitting new cartridges N
! the empty chambers or his rifle he dashed
| forward another space. and once more
! plCwed the ranks of the enemy.
! Wild confusion and wrath beyond tell
| ing rciGred among the Kurds. 1T is an
/ ambush they shrieked, striving in vain
| tr scale the rocky wall above which Simon
| was intrenched. There is u whole army
| of Christians on the rocks.
| Charge the rocks, children of the PTOph-
! et!" howlcd the Kurdish captain, waving
| his sanIeter. Instantly the troopers began 10
| swarm up the precipirOUs crag- But Simon
| was ready Tor them. To and fro he spraug,
| lOOSening by touch tue myTidds of stones
| and small bouldcrs which ne had spent hours
arranging along the cliffs edge The
! shower Of missiles proved too much for the
| KurdS Down they rolled in sCOrcs->uuIe
never 10 rise again. Then SimOu-spJrins
! chem not. q they had not spared his Couu-
/ trymen- continued To pick them out with
! his rifle.
! YuSSuf. the old soldier ana his follow
/ crS missing simon, went forth 90 seek
. him about the noon hour Long they