The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-12

EeAEe. GO gH2 soy RS8~SE ALL go SScs
Goo be mercfful
Before I had spoken to Larby his pres
ence in cur company had been only as a
dark ard fatefui shadow. Now ii was a
foul and hateful incubus. Never In ali my
life until then had / felt hatred for any
human creature. But I hated that man
with all the sinews OF nay soul What was
Il TO me that he WAS madman2 He In
tended TO keep me from my dying boy.
why should feel tenderness towards him
because he was the father OF his little
Hoo.is2 By killing me he would kill my
little Noel.
I began 10 recall the doctrines of the
American as he propounded them on the
ship II was the life of an honest man
against the life OF a scoundreI These
things should be rated ad vaiorem. IL
the worst came 70 the worst. why Should
have more respect for this madman's
life than for my own?
looked at the man and measured his
strength against mine. He was a brawny
fellow with broad shoulders. and / was
no better than q weakiing. I was afraid
of him. but | was yet more afraid OF my
self Sometimes surprised my half
conscious mind in the act OF taking out
90 Its siiver-mounted sheath the large
curved knife which I had bought OF the
hawker at Tangier. and now wore In the
oelt OF my Norfolk Jacket. In my COW
ardice and my weakness this terrified me.
Not all my borrowed philosophy served
10 support me against the fear Of my own
impulses. Meantime I was In an agony
of suspense and dread. The nights
brought me no rest. and the mornings no
freshness.
On the fourth day out OF Fec we ar
rived at wazzan. and there, though the
hour was still early. my men decided to
encamp for the night. / protested and
they retorted: / threatened and they ex-
cused themselves. The 3mules wanted
shoeing; offered to pay double that they
might be shod Immediately. The tents
were torn by a heavy wind of the pre-
vious night; offered to buy new ones.
When their trumpery excuses failed them.
the men Eebeiied openly. and declared
their determination not to stir out of Waz-
Zan that night
But they had reckoned without their
host this time. / found that there was an
English Consul at Wazzan. and / went in
search of him. His name was Smith, and
he was a typical Englishman--ampie. ex-
pansive. firm. resolute. domineering. and
not troubled with too much sentiment 1
told him of the revolt OF my people and OF
the tyranny of the subterfuges whereby
they had repeatedly extorted brides. The
good fellow came to my relief. He was a
man OF purpose, and he had no dying
child l, 200 miles away to make him a foo;
and coward.
Men" he said. you've got to start
away with this gentleman at shutdown.
and ride night and day--do you hear me,
night and day-until you come to Tangier.
servant of my own shall go with you.
and II you stop or delay or halt or go
slowly he shall see that every man of you
Is ciapped into the kasbah as a black
mailer and thief
There was no more talk Of rebellion. The
men protested that they had always been
willing to travel. Sidi had been good to
them, and they would be good to Sidi. At
shutdown they would be ready.
You will have no more trouble. sir"
said the consul; but viii come back to
see you start"
I thanked him and we parted. 1t was
still an hour before sunset and / turned
aside TO look at the town. ! had barely
walked dozen PAGES when / came face
TO face with Larby. In the turmoil OF my
conflict with the men / had actually for
gotten him for one long hour He looked
at me with his glittering eyes. and then
his cold. clear gaze followed the consul
as he passed down the street That double
glance was like a shadowy warming It
gave me shock Of terror. How had for
gotten my resolve to BATTLE suspicion by
exchanging no word or look with any Eu-
ropean minister or consul as long as / re-
manned In Morocco? The expression in the
mans face was not to be mistaken. 1t
seemed to say: so you have told all: very
well. Sidi, We shall see."
With sense as Of creeping and cringing
passed on. The shadow OF death seemed
TO have fallen upon me at last. / felt my
self TO be doomed man. That mailman
would surely Kill me. He would watch his
chance: l should never escape him; my
home would see me no more; my boy would
die for want OF me.
tingling noise, as of the jangling Of
bells, was in my ears. Perhaps it was the
tinkling OF the bells OF the water-carriers
prolonged and unbroken. gauzy mist
danced before my eyes. Perhaps 1t was
the palpitat!ng haze which the sun cast
back from the gilded domes and mnarets
Domes and minarets were everywhere In
this town OF Wazzan. II seemed to be a
place OF mosques and saints houses
Wher the wide arch and the trough OF the
mosque was not, there was the open door
In the low. whitewashed wall Of the saint 8
house. surmounted by It's white flag. In
my dazed condition / was somewhat in
danger of stumbling into such places UNI
awares. At the instant of recovered con-
seriousness always remembered the warn
ings of my guide as stood by the house Of
Sidi Cali, at Tangier. Sacred place: yes
sacred. No Nazarene may enter 1t. But
Moslems, yes. Moslems may fly here for
sanctuary. Life to the Moslem. death to
the Nazarene. So 1t Is"
on. ii Is an awful thing to feel that death
Is waiting for you constantly that at any
moment, at any turn, at any corner Il may
be upon you. Such was my state as
walked on that evening, waiting for the
sunset, through the streets of Wazzan. At
one time / was conscious OF a sound In my
ears above the din OF traffic-the Arrah of
the assdrivers tina Balak OF the men rid
ing mules, and the general Glamour of
tongues. II was the steady beat Of a foot
step close behind me. l knew whose foot
step IL was. L turned about quickly, and
Larby was again face TO face with me- He
met my gaze with the same cold, gliftering
look. Nv impulse was 10 fly at his throat,
but that dare not do. / knew myself to
be q coward, and remembered the Moor
ish prison.
LARRY" said. what do you want?"
Nothing, Sid. nothing" he answered.
Then why are you following me like
this?''
Following you. Sidi?'' The fellow raised
his eyebrows and lifted both hands In as
PUNISHMENT
Yes. following me. DIGGING me. watch
ing me. tracking me down. What does Ii
mean Speak on: plainly"
Sid. Is TESTING he said. with a mis-
chievous smile. ''fs not this Wazxan. the
holy city of Waxzan? Sidi is looking at the
streets. az the mosques. at the Saints
Houses So is I.arby. That IL ALL
Ons glance of The mans evil eyes would
have told you that as lied.
(which way are you going?'' / asked.
This way" With motion of tins. head
he indicated the street before him.
Then I am going this I said. and I
walked away In the opposite direction.
resolved TO return 10 the English consul
to tell him everything. and claim his pro-
lection. Though all the Moorish authorities