The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-06

to withstand the frightful hail of bullets
poured upon us by a mechanical gun which
spat forth lead in deadly showers. Our
men, seeing the havoc wrought by this
devilish weapon, turned and fled. For
t1nately the poison wind had sprung up,
and it's clouds of sand cannot be faced by
the mea of the north; therefore we were
enabled to escape, although unfortunately
compelled to leave the greater part of the
stolen camels and merchandise in their
possession.
AS in the confusion 1 caught horse.
sprang upon it and rode into the binding
sandstone for my life I heard the dull
thud of the horses hoofs of my pursuers.
From the noise there must have been a
score or so of them, anxious no doubt to
secure a marauder feared by all the cara
vans. But swift as the wind itself 1 gal
Hoped on alone the greater part or the hot.
sitting night, until pulling up, dismount-
ing, and placing my ear to the ground, ]
could detect no sound of pursuit. At last
had by the narrowest escape evaded the
red-burnoused men of the north whose
chief delight is to shoot us down like dogs
In the glimmering twilight, as night gave
place to dawn, saw before me huge dark
rock rising from the ocean of sand shaped
like a camels hump, and riding onward
tethered my horse beneath it and flung
myself down to snatch an hours sleep ere
the sun rose, intending to so forth again
and rejoin my scattered tribesmen.
How long mine eyes were closed Allah
alone knoweth, but when 1 opened them
found myself lying upon a panthers skin
in a darkened chamber. my ears filled with
the noise of running water. The place was
cooled by the stream, and in the dim recess
of the room 1 could distinguish rich divans
Suspended from the roof was a fine Moor
ish lamp of chased brass, which shed a soft
yellow light, while from the pertaining pan
was diffused the intoxicating odor of altar
of rose The light was soft and restful after
the accustomed desert glare, and in wonder
l rubbed my eyes and gazed about me-
Allah give thee peace, o stranger" a
thin voice croaked, and, glancing quickly
behind me- beheld wizened-faced man,
small Of stature, dressed in robe of bright
blue silk and SO bent by age that his white
beard almost swept the ground. Notwith-
standing his venerable appearance, however,
his face was dark and forbidding and his
small, black, piercing eyes, that time had
not dimmed, had a CLINT of evil in them. In
stinctively ere we had exchanged a dozen
words distrusted him.
ITO whose hospitality do 1 owe the rest
and repose 1 have enjoyed?" 1 inquired,
slowly rising to my feet and stretching my
cramped limbs.
MY name," the old man answered "is
Batouba. 1 discovered thee sleeping in the
sun outside this, my dwelling place, and
brought thee in, for the rays had smitten
thee with a grievous sickness, and thou
vert on the point of death. Thou hast re-
manned my guest these twelve days"
Twelve days!' 1 cried with incredulity,
at the same moment feeling my head reel
ing as though l had drunk the palm wine
of the pagans. Then to thee 1 owe my
life?"
The hideous old man in blue grinned with
satisfaction, regarding me with a strange
covert glance.
By this time my eyes had grown accus-
toned to the semi-darkness, and saw
that the chamber was a natural one-a
kind Of arched cavern, the floor of which
had been leveled and channel formed for
the cool spring that dubbed forth and
rippled away into gloomy depths.
This thy dwelling is beneath the sur
face of the EARTH 1 observed, glancing
around me in curiosity. why dwellest
thou here in secret?'
THE true Arab answereth not the ques-
tions of a robber of the Ennitra," he re-
Piled with a sneering accentuation on the
final word. allah hath sent thee as my
guest; partake of all that have, but seek
no explanation of who, or of what L am :"
He evidently recognized that was a
freebooter of the dreaded Ennitra, but his
strange words puzzled me. First, 1 had no
idea that such luxurious abode could ex-
list in the center of that wild, inhospitable
region to which 1 had penetrated; second
ly the very fact pointed to the conclusion
that, in my flight, 1 had approached near
a town; but, thirdly, 1 had already proof
positive that my ugly host, the man who
declared he had saved my life, lied to me.
AT the well. where we had filled our water
skins on the day before the fight, 1 had
plucked a sprig of jasmine and placed a
tiny piece behind my ear beneath the white
hack wound about my head. This / recol-
lected, and taking it in my hand, found it
still limp and undried. By that alone
knew had not been there many hours, and
that his story was false.
1 suggested that l should soon be re-
luctantly compelled to leave, but at once
he became more profuse in his hospitality.
mo. not yet" he protested. 81 am alone.
save for my slaves, and thy companionship
is pleasant. Remain, and l will show thee
over this, my hidden dwelling place. 1t
may interest thee" and taking down a
torch he lit it and led the way across a
tiny bridge that SPAWNED the running water,
then opening low door in the rock con-
Quoted me through several intricate pas
sages narrow and dark until we came to
a series of caverns of various sizes, the
roofs of hanging stalactites, the walls hung
with rich silken hangings, and the floors
COVERED by beautiful carpets from the East.
over each the great lamp of filigree shed a
soft light showing how rich and costly
were the antique tables of inlaid pearl and
silver and how wide and soft were the
divans. In each the thin blue smoke curl
ing upward from the golden pertaining pan
gave forth a delicious odor, and in one 1
noticed lying discarded, pair of tiny green
slippers embroidered with seed-pearls. and
iinka, one of those little two-stringed
guitars fashioned from tortoise shell, both
of which objects betrayed the presence of a
woman.
When he had passed through half a dozen
similar chambers in the solid rock, the old
man. croaking as he went, stopped sudden
~ at the further end of the last and most
gorgeous of all his subterranean domain,
and with grim expression on his evil face
said
And this is the dreaded gate of the King
dom of Darkness. whence none return