Sharp County record. (Evening Shade, Ark.) 1877-1976, 1899-12-08

daily, and the skies assumed the red.
dish tinge which bodies no good to the
dweller in the desert. At rare intervals
across the yellow hillocks would come
pirouetting diabOlical little spirals of
sand, moved by puffs of wind, like
breaths from furnace.
ION the morning of the fifth day
Hamed, my Circassian slave, man OF
rare courage and singular personal
beauty, disappeared into the depths of
the oasis in quest of fresh water, that
in the cistern being used for the beasts
only and, from the length of time elaps-
ing, must have penetrated, further than
usual. Suddenly we perceived him at
the edge of the jungle wildly gesticu-
lating. The Arabs rifles were at their
shoulders in an instant, but there was
mingled scream and roar, a fash of
tawny TANKS, and Hamed, dragged down
from behind, disappeared in the wood.
1.-The ritlemen who had been nearest
10 him fell upon their faces, paralyzed
with some awful fear, and could not
be induced to stir. What they had seen
| knew not. Drawing my scimitar and
grasping my pistol babe huge black,
under threat of instant death, follow
with lance, and plunged into the
tangled wood at the spot where Hamed
had disappeared. White fragments of
cloth upon the broken twigs, borne
down by what must have been a crea-
ture of unusual size and ponderous
strength, guided US onward. Painting
with the heat, bruised with falling,
and now feeling giddy with a strange
odor which began to pervade the air,
we proceeded with the utmost caution
along path grown steep and rocky.
The terrible odor had grown al
most sitting, and mingling with it
came low, whining purr, apparently
at no great distance now.
'Crouching behind a ragged mass
of rock which seemed to have been split
by the heat (the black calling inces-
sanity upon Allah with chattering
teeth peered through the crevice in
TO the space beyond. Soul of Moham-
med. What sight met my gaze!
"'Sprawing upon its belly at the en-
trance to a cavern, the 1.-THE tail beat
ing the ground, was creature, the
sight of which caused my scimitar to
fall from my nerveless grasp. Out OF
q tangled red name, rose white neck
ofcolumnar strength, surmounted by q
countenance Of awful beauty. Be.
meath netted eyebrows glowed eyes
like FURNISHED brass, human in all save
the slit like pupils. The lips were a
venomous red arch, through which
flashed long canine teeth.
Before her, slightly propped
against a bowlder, lay Hamed, white
and limp, but conscious and fas
cinated. Ever and anon the great
furry paw was thrust forward caress
ingly, the claws shcathed, and the eyes
of the dread creature became narrow
and tender, and the purring sound was
repeated.
Streaming with sweat, had man
aged to level my pistol across a pro
lection, when a shadow fell over u.
which deepened, and a murmur broke
upon our ears, increasing to a roar
springing to its feet, its eyes blazing
greenly in the gathering gloom, tn,
Thing seized the shoulder of Hamed'
garments in its teeth, and with hor
rid screaming snarl leaped past US, al
the simeon in all its fury burst upor
us.
1.-THE black had already clambered tc
the highest rock and lay clasping tn,
base Of large palm, face down, en-
yeloped in his burnous. did likewise
and after period Of Inconsistencies
awoke, and painfully drawing myself
up to a sitting posture against wha
remained of the palm tree, gazed abou
me. The black lay rigid at my side
stifed.
Around about among the rocks
and trees and across the plair
were great drifts and pillows of sand
but of all my faithful people and val
liable beasts there was no trace. A
tent pole, with fragment of canvas
here and there, marked their graves
i was rescued in delirious condi
ton by my partner, who came weekly
to visit the encampment.
"'rhat am stopping in this vicinity
Is owing to an irresistible fascination
the spot has for me, and to its being in
the direct road to the market town
whittier | 60 at intervals to trade. The
mystery that yonder sand heaps en-
velop will never be revealed until the
desert and the sea give up their dead "
IN. Y. Herald.
IN