, 1904-08-03

"GoOd heaven! PalpaK kllleu! ne
exclaimed.
He rushed to the chief and found
that he was severely wounded.
who knows anything about sur
gerry 2" he asked. AS no one answered.
Harvey knelt beside the chief and be-
gan dressing the bullet wound in his
side.
as it the last of me, my friendg'
said Palpak.
"Perhaps not. I'm pretty good at
this sort of thing. Be patient. and
we'll see what can be done"
The hoofs of a horse pounding the
road caused them to look up. Domitan
SOON appeared.
"How goeth the fight here?" he de-
manded. 1--WE have defeated the SOL
diers of the ameer."
.And so did we" said one of the cap
tains, but Palpak, our chief, is wound
ed"
"Palpak wounded"
They led Domitan to his brother.
There was no sympathy in his lark
face.
art thou wounded to thy death, my
brother?"
"This American friend saith he can
do much, yet l fear the bullet has
reached a spot that kills"
ut is customary for a dying chieftain
to proclaim his successor. | am thy
eldest brother and so will become
chief"
Already the eyes of Palpak were
glazing, and he was growing weaker.
Eyes, thou art chief" he whispered.
Then, motioning to his captains to
gather round, he said: "Domitan is
chief. l die"
Domitan, as soon as he was con-
WINGED that his brother was dead, be-
came a changed man.
~"Zannucks," he shouted, II am thy
chief! Obey me as thou obeyed my
brother, and l will make thee rich with
the spoils of the caravans. We will
pay no taxes to the ameer, but will give
him battle in the mountains and kill
his soldiers. And thou, American and
Muscovite, shalt become my slaves and
wait upon me in the palace l will
build. l shall not be called chief, but
king, and the prettiest of the girls we
Ia VIC lCoSdC0 IL hoii
be my queen"
"Nonsense!" said Harvey. Your
brother promised that we should be
sent to the coast safely"
LET my brother fulfill his promise.
I am chief, and hot art now my pris-
oners. Obey me or thy life will go as
did my brothers,
Harvey made a gesture as if to draw
his pistol, and Domitan sprang upon
him.
."The other. Seize the other! Bind
them bothy' he
Alma and Koura screamed with ter
ror as they saw their gallant lovers al
most buried under the Zannucks that
hurled themselves upon them. In a
few minutes Harvey and Orskoff were
securely bound.
Dogs of unbelieversp' cried Domi-
tan, shaking his fist in their faces.
Thou interfered with my plans be-
fore! Remember the cave! Now will
l pay in good coin! Slaves, forever
shalt thou serve me!''
Harvey did not answer. He looked
at Alma. The poor girl was trembling
with terror, and tears were pouring
down her cheeks.
"Cheer up, my darling!' he said to
her. eve will soon be out of this!''
The clatter of horses on the road
could be heard. and the force Domitan
had left fighting came up.
w routed them WELL" said one of
the captains. what! Is Palpak kill
ed?'
II am thy chiefr' said Domitan.
But there was treasure in the ear
avanl Where are the camels of the
merchants?"
Below. They fed. After them, and
bring them backi"
Fifty started, and the remainder pre-
pared to bury the dead. 1t was nov
late in the day, and Domitan was ca
ger to get his caravan off the high
way lest a returning force of Bokha-
rams turn victory into defeat.
w have two of the best camels of
the ameer," he said. 1--WE cannot take
them up the side of the cliff. We must
travei by way of the road farther up.
we VIII! arrange for the burial of the
dead, foes as well as friends. Remove
all trace of the fight"
The W girls were tenderly cared
Tor, Domitan studying them carefully,
as II to decide which was the more
beautiful.
There is my queen" he said, point
ing to Alma. "The Georgian is beauti-
full. Dut This ono thic AnSoo,;+o s..:4