The Washington times., 1904-10-16
CHAPTER III
A FIGHT for Freedom.

Out of the binding smoke came the
stately form. The face was averted.
the white hands thrown above the head
in the attitude of supplicatiou.
Spare me, spare me-" rang out the
piaintive faIsetto. Il shall be your
slave-a good slave 7 swear it. by
Allah and the Mahdt Spare me.
The younger dervish, who had whipped
out his scimiJer. stayed by this pitifuI
appeal. dropped his weapon, drew back
and began tugging at the cords which
hung AT his side.
Bind her hands and bring her down
TO the zareba, brother commanded the
taller, turning away.
But instantly and without a moments
warning, the younger reeled back. for
a heavy form was upon him. He gave
one mighty struggle. but it was too
late.
He felt the long dagger plunge into
him, and went down before he realized
what had happened, his heart trans
fixed ike a black beetle run through
with a bOdsiu.
Come. brother" repeated the elder,
anxlousIy from afar. 1--WE shall miss
the spous. I am rested now. I can Kill
another score Of the inhdeIs. Bind the
unbeIever's dog and bring her On HO,
where art thou brother
With his giant frame running cold, his
eyes blinded by the smoke, app~ehend-
ing trouble. back the elder ran with
poised spear till he saw his comrade
lying there on his face He cried 20
him, kicked him, swOre and ragged, tu
suddenly in the obscurlug smoke Ia
found himself face 20 face and eye 10
eye with a stsanger-one whom he real
lied was no longer a woman. but a war
af-- lrHrAF and we'll Tra ma red for H1f-
tie
with a fierce oath the Moslem let
drive his spear, but the victim was not
there when il feu. Then ike lightning
the unknown foe was upon him The
dervish leaped back and drew his sword,
making a terrific Iunge.
The blow was parted with skill. for
the stranger mad suatched up the weap-
on OF the slaughtered man. and IL was
war 20 the death
Hitler and thither the fighters dashed
through the smoke. now coming to-
gether with slashiuE fury now IeapiHg
apart and losing each other.
shriekiug the while his oaJhs and In
vacations, alternating them with cries
20 his comrades. who, however, heard
nothing in the dense roar without the
dervish realized that he had an antag-
onist fully his match. With every ter
rife onslaught the scimiter found nothing
there when 1T svyished down with enough
fury TO behead q giant and then In de
uveriug one supreme double handed
Iunge. The dervish tripped and fell 20 his
knees
III was a fatal accident Out Of the
obscuring gloom there came the light
ming CLEAN OF a mOou-shaped sword.
and the man reeled from side 10 side,
wondering why he could not struggle 20
his feet why he could not cry out,
could not even pray Then he gave
cough and fen heavily GA has side,
groauing like q lion in the death throes.
Master OF the situation for the mo-
meut. Prince Bardon dragged both bod
les aside, and stripped them OF their
outer garments. their arms sandals,
turbans and girths. Into safe hiding
place below. the brave man now ran
with his booty, stripping himself OF what
remained Of his feminine disguise, and
douIug the pick OF the dervish gar
bents. Then smothering his torch by
which he illuminated mis- dangerous mo-
meut OF transformation he smeared
every inch OF his paliid face with the
greasy SCOT, also coating his hands and
arms What had been the means Of
driving him from his safe hiding In the
straw. was now his salvation.
The derviEhes below had no wish 10
enter a burning building, and though
he heard their appalling cries and the
din Of slaughter ali about him, Bardod
was enabled 20 pursue his work with
extreme watchfuluess for every detail.
The flames had burst through the roof
now, and the moor threatened to give
way, and the walls were growing hot
With his heart beating wildly me
prince. who had gone into the refuge
q apparently a woman came forth
shTleking deTyish. with dripping sCimlter
and wide waving spear.