The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-11-27
CHAPTER XVII.
Fire Fights Fire.

Fire Fights Fire.
A serpent had been wounded in the
darkness by the cameTs hoof, and had
leaped upon her Right and left, hither
and thither, with a frightened kissing.
the snake was whipping and striking
The camel beloved with terror and
tried vainly TO stamp down the reptile
from her helpless limp.
Though IL was so black at that desper-
ate moment that the prince was guided
only by sound. he snatched out his
sword and began flashing the air strik-
ing a score Of times at the monster. till
OF a sudden a blow caught the serpent
in one Of its furious dartings. beheading
il with a single stroke.
The great coils relaxed and fell but
the smell of blood and the alarm OF the
moment so maddened the camel that
with quick backward spring she broke
her nose ring and started OF down the
decliyity at a furious pace Poor Dor
othy chung to the saddle for life, her
heart III her throat.
Every instant on that mad runaway
journey the helpless rider expected the
camel to stumble in the darkness and TO
dash her To pieces upon the ragged boul-
| ders that skirted the trail.
With the useless halter in his hand.
the horror-stricken prince made dash
after the believing beast. the native
meantime calling after his faithful cam
el all the pet names and all the cursings
IN his dialect Suddenly the fellow halt
Ell and uttered a shrill. agonizing cry.
Look out, MASTER" came the sharp
warning through the night. Look out!
, Robbers. robbers,"
Overwhelmed with this new calamity
which the bellowings OF the camel mad
brought down upon them. the prince
tried 10 stop short. but he was too late.
| FUN into the front Of a painting. shut
1 fling shape he plunged, felt quick and
mighty clutch upon MS shoulder In the
black night and drawing back With
wrenchirg movement he drove his sword
at the unseen form before him-a ter
rifle slash. which was followed by
heavy fall and a groan.
| The place seemed suddenly alive with
men, with horses and eamels. all spring
/ ing apparently from the very earth, and
/ first against one and then another Bar
don coIlided, cutting and slashing his
way TO freedom.
Bardoff did not understand il all until
suddenly a voice which he recognized as
/ that OF one OF the Baggara guards OF
the KhaIifa OF Omdurman cried out;
| Here it is! I've found that dog OF
Russian"
"Slay him! Down with him." broke
| in the shrill command, which seemed 10
come from the back OF a camel plung-
ing into the melee
Look OUT" came another call be-
yond. He has friends, the cursed
| giaour! They are armed-they are
armed! Beware!"
Then at last the prince realized what
had happened. The shrill Rawlings Of
/ the camel had brought down upon them
/ first the little group OF robbers from
ambush. and then. from another diree-
ton. mounted men. who had been on
| the chase from the far Nile valley 10
| aLprehend the Russian and the angel
! of light"
! 1t was mad stampede. and when
the leader OF the pursuers got SWORD
/ through his neck from one OF the rob
bers' blind lashings. he went down from
/ mis- high eminence TO the stones, and
with that the battle royal began.
! The fighters seemed 10 lose ali red
son, hewing and lunging, firing and
plunging through the sand.
Suddenly Bardon broke through the
lines, and the low meanings OF DOT9-
thy's camel afar gave him clue 10 her
| whereabouts. She seemed fully a mile
away; but Bardon ran forward at fun
speed. and had gone almost half that
distance when suddenly a voice that
I was weak and pitifuI stayed him in his
mad flight. He stood stock still.
Again that faint call, and then Bar
doif turned sharply. bursting into a
] thicket Of mimosa, where, to his cor
sternation he found Dorothy lying upon
lher back in a cradle Of broken branches.
/ where she had been deposited. bruised,
bleeding. and benumbed with terror.
Bardoff picked her up bodily and
started at full speed, bearing toward
the sounds of the moaning camel Th4
battle ON the hillside kept up its din
and clash.
What has happened?" murmured
/ Dorothy, r,viying. What sound is
;hat2"
silence moaned the prince. still on
the run. we are not yet out of dan
ger"
WHY are YOU carrying me? Where
are we going? What did the native
cry out TO you? 1t was the las.
remember
Robbers" whispered the prince.
She did not have the strength To
speak for a moment so disasters
came not singly," she thought with bit
teTnCss.
~Ah. but what a Godsend il was
that the camel ran away with you.
We should all have been killed"
II don't understand" said the girl.
sfter a moment quandary.
DO YOU surmise whose those adveT-
lsaries aree None other than our dread
cd pursuers from Khartoum-