The Washington times., 1904-12-04
FAIR SLAVE TO THE F1AHD-A EDWARD Strange Hn

never reach osman Digna. or we shall
never reach Suakimi that's certain: so
Keep up heart. 1 shall not be long. 7
promise you. No one VII trouble YOU
In this storm. We have come too fast
to be run down, and the storm Is too
hard TO face. You have nothing 70
fear
Bardof had not gone fifty yards wbs,
he came upon two cameIs bound To-
gether. their noses thrust almost under
their forelegs. and beyond them we're
two shapes sprawled out In the drift-
Ing sand, covered with blankets ana
evidently asleep.
With one hand clutching his sword
with the other the prince threw back
the covering OF the larger OF the two
men, exposing as he did so a warrior
OF the Amarar tribe. from whose straw
siFdle hung a pouch OF snake skin
pound with the scarlet flag or the emir.
-dainud el FikL Here. then, was the
coveted prize.
Nutting Il loose while the man slept
IKE me dead Bardon turned away ana
orc" forth the message to Osman
Disha, with its big seals and Eompous
liourishes. thankful that Ne could es-
cape shedding more blood. Then he
stole back to the two cameIs and kicked
them upon their feet
ihree minutes later. with the thres
cameis and ample provisions now 20
their credit, the fugitiyes renewed thar
hisht over the white trail at double
speed. They kept steadily on mile aftar
mile ana hour after hour until Il was
very nearly nishtfall, when. TO their
great sratincation. the sand storm sub
sided and they entered the bleak ra-
vines ana dreary passes OF the Kohrsb
Mountains.
With the dying light OF day. the ts1o
paused and looked back upon the avfuI
plain.
II those two sheiks do not find a sur
prise when they wake 1 cannot proph-
esy. said BardofT at last.
Then-then you did not feel COM
pelied-" Dorothy paused. but the
prince understood her.
NO; l never take life unless In self
defense. The tired sheiks slept ike
stone even cut the girdIe from one
OF them, and found this message 10
the commander OF the forces. Of the east
Let US hear what the emir has 10 saw 10
his superior"
Seating himself on a sand mound thu
prince unrolded the document with care.
Iranslating as he read:
IN the name Of Allah the mercff,tI
ana compassionate and the Faith OF
islam. Amen,
Prom the servant OF his Lord. the
Nahol-the emir Aamud Ell Fiki, mid
way between The Nile and the Red
Sea, TO the commander Of the Arsar in
The East. Defender Of Maiden. Osman
Digna- The greetings Of a servant 10
his plaster. God be with theei
now that rhara
night man who prOclaims himself one
or the bOdyguard OF the holy man o.
Osman the Blest. from the KhaIifa
Abdullas 10 the effect that the Great
Mahdl Is dead. and that the Khalifa
ADdulla has been appointed his sue
cessor. The guard has with him a
Wnlte slave captured from KhartOum
which he claims that the Khaiifa sent
thee as a present. and token Of esteem.
Noble comma nder, ] fear that what
ne tells is the truth-that our glorious
imam is remOved-but / wait here TOR
messengers 10 bear me the confirming
tidings from Berber, upon receiving
which / shall send the messenger On 10
thee. In the meantime / shall hold the
alleged guard OF the Mahdi. whom [
strongly suspect OF being a European
infidel escaping from Omdurman in the
disguise or baggara warrior, in which
ease put no trust in these rumOrs i
fear, however that what he speaks IS
the truth, for he could never have es-
IA
the Master. without doing so while the
excitement Of such a great calamity
was nliing every mind. He is a crafty
sconldrel, and / fear 10 allow him 10
proceed. ! shall therefore, hold him
prisoner till / have tidlngs confirming
or refuting his intelligence.
Noble commander, We pray the most
high God, 10 whom be praise, TO bring
US soon thy reinforcement that the
siege OF Suakim may be an accom-
pllshed fact. 10 the glory Of Allah and
the increased dominion Of the Mahdi.
Allah yebarekr Cod be with theer
Dated. s Sha'abam, 1902
(Signed) ''MA8I1TD Ell FTKI.
'Postscript-The white El1ge OF the
Mahdi Is young and very beGIItifuI'
A short. ringing laugh-tI:e very first
that had cheered poor Bard Of for many
dark days-greeted the closing words OF
the grave message 10 the commander Of
the eastern forces.
II must indeed have looked beautiful 4"
said Dorothy. after the frightful days
OF toll through the desert, pallid with
terror and apprehension as we came into
the presence Of the emir. I wonder that
he was so favorably impressed"
The prince gave her a glance. Could
IL be that even the barbarian savage
could look through that cloud OF dust
and those lines or suffering and see what
a beautiful soul lay within, even as hs
himself had seen day by day on this
solemn journey? Perhaps. Thank GOdi
he Will never see her again." the prince
murmured as he turned away 10 feed
the camels with dhurTa mOistened with
water.