Rocky Ford enterprise., 1900-08-31

Adriennc made no answer. meIciy
| bowling slightly AZ she made gesture
with her hand to Mahomed. indicating
; that he was to 20.
But when the door had closed on the
figures OF the two men she remained
standing where she was. her hand
resting on the little inlaid table before
her. an expression Of strange fear ana
apprehension creeping slowly over her
beautiful face.
He cannot harm him-he cannot"
she murmured. as II trying to convince
herself of the truth OF the words
Then a sudden CULVER ran through her.
and she covered her face with her
hands. II cannot hide the truth from
myself now-I love him
CHAPTER VI.
A march In the desert. 4 march
over that waste OF pathicss. yellow
sand. under a burning. torrid sun.
with a sky above Of quiverin.. paipi.
tatinK. passionate. blazing heat: with
burning. -biistcred feet. blood
shot. sand-fille eyes. clothes soaked
to We, pulp with pcrspiraiion. limbs
that almost refused TO drag their
weary weight over the way.
II was Paul Ciciand's hrst experience
OF tae descrt- Most Of the long line Of
human beings. creeping like . black
snake across the white waste. had been
there before. some Of them for many
years. during preceding campaigns. but
ciciand had no experience Of the Sou-
dan. and he suffered In proportion. as
all newcomers do.
Stiii. he was tough and strong. and
had all a Seotehman's dosscd cndur-
anee: he would never own himself
beaten where o,h~ss did not.
They were marching from Brrbcr TO
Of the enemy.
cicIand had already found h,s sesv.
ierr required. One or ;vo Of the new
recruits among tho Bsi,ish had been
attacked by such diseases a. only tho
desert knows. These he had treated.
TO his o~n immense satisfaction. sue
e~sssul!y. Il vas good TO know that
he was q necessary factor 10 tho we'll
being OF the army.
etssbA ebs Ss - US
one day they halted at = ruined vii.
ias~. destroyed by the Mahai's cruel
decree. and remained there overnight.
cieiand found a ruined hut. In which
he established himself. with his tro
native "boys- TO keep guard. Hc was
! dead tired. and. making himsri: a.
comfortable a. he could. he rolled him.
self IN his rug and was soon fast
asleep. though the far-oG screams OF
Jaskcis prowiink In the outskirts Of
the camp. sometimes mingled with tho
hoarsc laugh Of the hyrna. might have
kcp, him awake under other clgcum.
stances.
suiirniy. however. he was awak-
caed. and tha: efsciusIiy. Something
~as moving in the hut.
lie started up In bed and looked
around. The mooh-a desert moon.
white and clear aimos, as daylight
vas shining into tho tent. By Its
light he could So" his tao boys"
asleep on tho sun.bak.d turf ,ha,
formed the floor In far corner os the
hut.
lie saw something else. thourh-a
smooth. round. dark head and two
glarinE eyes. looking like balls of
ere. aySd on his face.
lie could not tell vha, the anjma,
| vas at that distance. I, might he a
jacket. a panther. or-mosi terrible of
ala hycna. watching its opportunity
for a spring Hut. whatever u was.
ClelaHd had no doubt abou, one thing
his only safety lay In perfect self.
possession at this awful moment.
lie was usually cool and sci.-pos.
sessei enough: but there arc no,
many men who can wake up a, tho
dead OF night. To hni a blooi,hirsty
beast OF prey within a tcw fee, OF
them. and experience no sensation OF
fear. Cieland knew tha, his heart
was beating In strong. heavy ,hrobs.
| like tn" strokes OF a slc[!gc hammer.
aud tina; his forehead vas wet with
perspira,iun. not altogether brouxh,
there by the heat and closeness of the
i night
He dared no, move his py.s from
those Elaring balls nXcd upon them
IiN knsw that TO do so would moan an
Instant spring on the part ~ the crea-
'nfe. He could not call his hnys In
ali probability they would howl with
terror. and rouse the animal to greater
fun
Ills ria" was on camp stool no,
Nv" feet away. hut almost beside that
or"u'h'hE lark form II ha had but
put II underneath his head. Du, Il was
no time for regrets. II was time for
action lie mus, make up his mind at
ono" what he was to do: at any mo-
ment the animal might spring.
"" cautiously put ont his arm. still
Keeping his eyes fixed on tho crea-
lures. Then. withou, once iurni,v his