Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1901-01-18

torted Suppose refuse to leave this
fellow"
"Thon-" the professor became all
al once ominously cool shall be
forced to remind you that | am at the
head Of this expedition, and you my
salaricd assistant. Also. that these
animals are my property. | go. and
they 90 with me. You can join the
party or not, as you please
Harding grew pale, That is the
choice you offer me. Then | say you
are a backyard"
And ! say indifferently. that you
are fool. Come will you mount?"
NO" furiously
The German shrugged his shoulders.
Have it your own way" he said.
And, gathering mp the long leading
rein which he fastened to the head
of one camel. he prepared to seat him
self on the other.
But here Harding sprang upon him
suddenly. NO you don't" he cried.
You shall leave me one. you brute.
though it We're hundred times your
Hcperty!'
stand or; the professor cried.
Harding's answer was to close with
HIM silently: and there entered a trial
of strength whereof the issue seemed
for several minutes doubtful The
man We're not Unmatched. Kirkhoffcr
vas the taller and heavier, but then
he was also the elder by 20 years. and
liarding's naturally 1.-the habit of body
had known an English public school
and university training. The result
OF the conflict was still uncertain when
the professor suddenly loosed his
I,, fan
Of contention, the led camel. almost in
To seize the creatures halter and rose
again to find himself covered by his
antagonists revolver.
Nov. perhaps the man of science
Observed, you will consent to hear
reason. No use, my good friend" as
Harding's hand went briskly to his
hreast-pocket. Il drew the charge
While You were asleep this morning.
in view Of possible difficulties. You
see there is nothing like being ready
for difficulties as they arise"
Dick Harding under the covering re-
volver stood erect and-dumb. To ar
sue further with man prepared to
commit murder on behalf of his tab
lets of baked clay were simple waste
of breath.
Keeping the muzZle of his weapon
pointed full at Harding's breast Pro
fCssOr Kirkhoffer mounted his camel.
made both the great beasts get up,
and began to move of. As long as
Harding remained within Tunning-up
distance he continued 10 hold the re-
volver raised and leveled sitting side
ways on his animal to ensure an ac-
CITRATE aim. But after a minute the
camcls broke into a long, awkward
uut; in two minutes they were beyond
pursuit three--and the professor
pocketod his tirearm and threw his
, leg across the saddle. Your own
fault, remember" was his final greet
ing before he disappeared over the
top of the nearest sand dune.
When he had disappeared Harding
looked about i'm, reviewing the situa-
tion. II was no cheering prospect
that met his eyes; a dead waste of
sand hills to north, south, east and
west white-hot in the glare of the
! tropical sun. Two dark blots alone
/ broke the pale surface of the wilder
ness the stiffening bulk of the dead
camel and the limp figure of the fe-
( yer-stricken camel driver Truly, no
( pleasant place to die in; more es-
/ pecially if you happen to be young
and strong. and the death to which
/ You stand condemned is death by hun
/ ger and thirst. A few hours would
exhaust the scanty remains of food
and water left in the skin and sad
| die bag lying hard by the dead camel,
and then
Harding shook off anticipations of
| coming torture to take stock of his
wretched commissariat, and, rummag-
/ ing in the bag found a priceless treas
ure-nothing less than an untouched
! bottle of quinine Why, with this he
might hope to revive the KhirgiZ,
whose case, but for the supposed eX-
! haustion of the expeditions medicine
| chest, had never been a serious one.
| Escape was yet possible.
Escape? From a trackless wilder
ness in which they could only wander
aimlessly to and fro, having no single
! instrument by which to determine