Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-05

garee-now the coat, Quick! Thy cosmet-
les and washes worked like charm, but
| this phosphorus reek offends me. So; that
| is better. Now the key-in his GUNNER
! bund. Here, you. Abdar; come back, you
villain! If a thing is gone from his room
I'll fay thee alive. See to thy men. Ben
Alf; we are no bhudmash choars Now,
key on the inside All. what's that?'
| The whole party halted on the stairway
outside the room as a dull. confused roar
reached their ears, apparently from the
street.
What is that Ben Alifg repeated the
, now rehabilitated Meredith
Sounds like a fight, Sahib; but I've got
enough men around the house to give a
good account of any accursed meddiers
that come along. The devils are itching
! for a fight. too
But what about the police?"
Yes. l know. Sahib; but my beggar-
men will stand even them off for few
minutes. any way. This way Sahib; we
| can't chance the front door,
They ran down the passage to the
| door leading to the servants quarters
which Abdulla had shut earlier in the
evening. 1t was open, and a man was
guarding 1t, while others were crouched
! just inside the kitchens. where they had
| tied up the servants.
Abdulla. who was In charge back there
! ran to meet Ben Alif as the latter came to
: the doorway
What is it, mani" asked the dwarf.
They are fighting In the street outside.
l
| hina) SAY that the Chucklas of Juggi BIN
| are out and filling the street--they ran In
hither to warn thee as thou didst order"
| Ben Alif nodded and quickly gave his
orders Posting a man at the door to open
/ when all was ready, he formed the rest
( close around the SahIb, with stern instruc-
| tons as to his masters safety. NOW
| then. close up. Let go, Abdar.' And as
the door flew open out they rushed. a COM
pact wedge into the narrow court behind
! the house-the big. vicious looking pariahs
| fairly carrying the Sahib.
! They got to the corner of the main street
without being observed. but here their way
was blocked by the fight, and the Chucklas
were between them and their own party.
They halted, turned about and started for
the other end of the alley, but a cry went
up even as they turned, and a moment later
| they were driven to the wall. fighting des-
perately.
For few minutes 1t looked bad, as they
were hemmed in the narrow way, with no
| chance of their friends In front knowing of
! their predicament. let alone helping them
out of 1t. So 1t seemed to Meredith, who
was 1ammed against the wall with never
| the slightest chance to strike single blow;
! but he heard Ben Alif's voice rising above
| the fury OF the fight like a great. hoarse
| fog horn and wondered why the fellow
so badly. till by and by there came from
| the distance a faint echo of the dwarfs
roar and he began to understand. Five
| minutes later and there was rush In the
court behind them. then dozen Wild tan
gled heads topped the wall and the owners
leaped down into the melee.
The first batch received a warm reception.
but others came leaping in In an appar-
emily unendang stream. till the lane was
mass of fierce. writhing. blasphemous devils,
through which Ben AHrs party slowly and
with many a halt for attack and defense
forced q way to the corner. where rsin-
forcements Of lusty beggArs WEI, wai..ng
to carry them triumphantly through. In q
side street a Charlie was waiting. and after
seeing Meredith and Abdulla safely on Ben
Alif rushed back with his men to conclude
his little business with the Chuckles.
(To be continued tomorrow)