Rocky Ford enterprise., 1900-09-21

Then. by the sword OF the prophet,
you have chosen your own fate!" ex-
claimed the fierce fanatic. He turned
away from Cieland and uttered a Pc
culiar call.
| In answer to It half dozen black
bearded. fierce-eyed dervishes sprans
rs II were from the earth itself-in
reality. out Of some OF the trenches
near Mt hand-and came to his side.
Osman uttered his instructions in low.
rapid tones. and two OF the tallest and
strongest. coming forward. laid each
a hand under Cleiand's arm. and led
him forword towards that awful black
thing facing him.
Then he knew that the end had come
mt last. Without preparation he was
to be hurled out of life into the great
Unknown beyond. In 1--WE minutes
more he would be beyond NIL hope OF
rescue or escape-hc would be In eter-
nifty.
Only those who have seen death thus
suddenly near at hand know how dear
life Is to all. THE wearlcst and most
loathed worldly life" becomes the
most precious OF all possessions. be-
cause to lose 4, Is to lose all that ws
have ever been familiar with.
Thus cieland felt for moment:
but I, was only for moment.
One thought OF Marsarct-rarc. pale
Margaret. soon to be separated from
him more completely than ever she
had been by the ''unpiumbcd. salt.
cs;rsn.ins sea''-who might never
even hear OF his death: one passion
ate. mute areweii-"Gooi-by my
love. my one. first and last love. We
shall meet some day. some day. Mar
sarct"-and then his thoughts were
turned To the solemn moment before
him.
My God. commit myself into Thy
hands. Thou vii, keep me. for have
trusted In Thee" The ~ordicss pray
sr In his hear; might 30 have been
translated.
They were at III. Eaiio~s now. Ono
Of the dcrtlshes held cicland. while
tho other skiltaiiy threw a long strand
of brown rope into a moose. II was m
!shed: he vas just about to throw Il
over clciand's neck. when
A Wild shrek broke on the saiiry
air. the sound Of Eaiiopink horses se.
eompanied Il: and ciciand. looking up.
saw many -coiofcd naks and banners
floating on the air. A. the same mo-
mcnt osman's voice vas heard calling
something In Arabic. Al the sound
the dcrvish who held the rop~ dropped
II. aud turned from ciciana with a
scowi.
The next moment O.man himself
approached.
II, Is the will Of Allah you should
he spared Just now b. said. address
Ing cic!and. Then TO tho dcrsishcs:
Take him hack TO the hut
hut cieiand. unable to stand any
longer from sheer weakness. had
dropped on the ground. They lifted
him up and carried him TO the hut.
where he was chained to huge
stone. Presently he recovered himself
a little. and was able TO get up to his
feet
Then he was conscious of great
noise ou,sidc-brayIns Of donkcys.
cries o; Arabs. the sound OF camcis'
heavy tread. II lasted for about ten
minutes. then suddenly ceased. and
perfect silence succeeded u
II rcisnsd so long that cisiand felt
vaguely uneasy. lie moved at last
slowly across the hut. and. by push
ing away some of the brushwood. was
able to look out.
The place was deserted There was
not a tent. a donkey. a camel. or an
Arab to he seen. lie was alone-alonc
and chained up like a dog. with little
o. no hope of being able TO release
himself.
Even u he could. what them lie
knew he was at Mctcmmch. in the
heart Of the desert. without food or
drink. Even II he we're free could he
ever find his way to the British camp7
He had no idea as to where they were:
he had not even heard that they were
again on the move.
Despair came to Cleland. II would
have been better IL they had killed him
at once. Swift death was TO be pre-
fcrrcd to this fearful thought OF dying
inch by inch.
s,iIl, he must do something rather
than lie down in inaction and despair.
lie would try to file away his chain
that bound him.
II was Eve days later when the
Anglo-Egyptian troops m rched
through Netcmmeh on their south
ward way.
"a town of the dcad' but. good
heavens, what is that. Reid7 eS-
claimed Colonel 1jcauchamp. as he
rode by the side OF one Of his subai.
terms, pointing to the hut. II could
almost fancy there seems to me some
thing like man lying there on the
sandi"
A moment later the command
"II,i.," vns qiypu. the moving mass