Morgan County democrat. (Versailles, Mo.) 1900-1906, 1904-09-02

d In patience OF the belated Wall
Street SPECTATOR, to whom the delay
miEht mean a loss of $4,000. tC the
hysleria Of a nervous little woman
who mad left her baby AT home. and
who begged the other helpless passen-
gers for the love OF Heaven to help
her set her feet once more on land.
Between these two extremes OF i'm
patience and excitement was "A small
proportion of passengers who remained
calm, even endeavOring to while away
the time by exchanging plcasantrics
and making wagers as to the time OF
their deliverance. Among thcs" was
a group Of men in the cabin who, after
having rea and rcread the morning
papers. were casting about for some
other method Of killing time One
suggested a game Of cards.
"Cardsi" laughed one of his COM
Daniols in misery. Who'd carry cards
on a ferry-bOat? who, outside OF a
luna1ic asylum, would start on a ten
minutes voyage provided with games
to pass away the time?"
Here Is a euchre deck which Is at
your service"
The speaker. evidently a globo-trot-
ter, drew from under the bench a tray
cling bag, so much worn and en-
bcllishcd by tags, labels and hero
glyphics that it rcscmbled some old
veteran just returned from the wars
and still covered with surgeons plas-
ters. From this he produced a pack
OF cards and rendered II to the man
who had suggested n game.
"Ccrtainly, if you will join rs; but
what shall we do for a table"
Here is a camp-stoOl," said the man
Of the world. And in n moment four
men were sitting around It, cutting for
deal, which CHANGED to fall TO the
stranger.
The cards were distributed RAPIDLY,
and the dealer was about to turn tho
trump when a loud shrek pierced the
air and n woman opposite suddenly
sank fainting TO the floor.
The tension among the passengers
had become so great that a panic
seemed imminent.
''''' ' ~ "it ii''f t'i''i' Nv 10 r = -
nothing serious" said the dealer. calm
". "Thc lady simply caught sight of
her own frightened face in the mir
ror, and the shock caused her TO faint.
II veminds me Of a thrilling experience
an American traveller had while bump
ing through Syria. But, pardon me,
the game"
hyan ,,-.. L., ,.a1a "a ,t .,
turn the trump. when one of tho party
exclaimed:
There cant be "A better time or
plac" than this for telling a thrilling
experience"
Yes" said another; edo give us
some other kiHd of bumpinp than We
arc having here. Let's have the story
before we begin the game"
The stranger leaned back, passed his
cigar case, and, having lighted a weed
himself, began:
at is an unwritton law among the
wild Bedouins east of the Red sea tina,
If an infdel traveller is attended on his
journey by one of the faithful he Is
safe from the attacks of Mohammedar
robbers. As long as the Frank, as al
foreigners are called, Is under the pro,
lection Of the Star and Crescent, thu
r~asCal's hand IS stayed, and as they
meet, the villain, who would otherwise
show no quarter, s@alutcs with the
grave snavlty OF Il courticr. But lie
that same traveller become separated
from the Arab guard that he has bribet
TO g.va him safe conduct through hi.
own baudlt-infcslcd country, and h,
becomes legitimate prey. lie will b.
~plundercd and perhaps killcd, or
worse. if tho robber thinks that cruelty
viii cX'Ort any secrets of hidden spoil
tortured or held for ransom, with oaci
days display losing a few fingers
which are forwarded TO the cap'iyc'i
friends to signify that the rascalg NEAR
business.
"Thc party in which this American
was travelling had been entering Syrii
from the south, and were progressed
some IL days from The sacred base o
old Sinai. At Il place called UIr-cs
Shcba. on The regular caravan route t.
and from Mecca from the north, the,
heard Of some interesting archcologi
crl treasures just unearthcd some twt
days journey to the east, and, havlnl
made the detour, the party snuGly en-
campcd by tho side Of a beautiful
stream under the shadow Of the Tuba
chain Of mountains.
THE treasures were vastly cXagger
atcd, rs Is the custom with everything
oriental, and they soon determined Il
Iurn LnnE IN 1hn nnrnNnn rnnAo mn