The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1906-05-05
BY RIDER HAGGARD,


do you mean 10 DetTd! US dnhch
Wulf bluntly
"Ask your brother if he thinks that
/ mean to betray you. No; mean to
save you, if | can. PILGRIMS to the
fearful shrine Of Al-je-bal, ii it please
You, we will ride at nightfall. DO not
trouble about food and such matters.
l will make preparation. but we 20
alone and secretly. Take only your arms
and what garments you may need; the
rest I will store and for it give YOU
my receipt Now I go to make things
ready See. | pray of you. that the
horses Flame ana Smoke are saddled
by sunset
At shutdown. accordingly. the breth-
rem stood waiting in their room. They
were fully armed beneath their rough
pilgrims robes. Also the saddlebagS
of carpet which MaSouda had given
them were packed with such things as
they must take.
Presently the door opened, and a
young man stood before them clothed
in the rough camel hair garment. or
burno0sc, which is common i'll the east
what do you WANT" asked God
win
Il want You. brothers Peter and
John" was the reply. and they saw
that the slim young man was Masouia.
"Henceforth he pleased to forget the
widow Masouda and until we reach the
land of Al-je-bal to remember that
am your servant. Il half breed from
Jaffa canned David, of no religion
or of all
In the stable the horses stood sad
died. and near to them another-a good
Arab-and two laden Cyprian mules,
but no attendant was to be seen. They
brought them out and mounted. Ma
SCUBA riding like man and leading
the mules. of which the head Of or"
was tied to the tail of the other Five
minutes late. they were clear of Reirut
and through the solemn twilight hush
followed the road whereOn they had
tried the horses toward the Dog river,
three leagtles away. which Masouda
said they would reach by moonrise.
Soon it grew very dark, and she rode
alongside of them to show them the
path. hut they did not talk much. Pick
ing their way along the stony road at
Il slow ainble, they crossed the bed Of
two streams. then almost dry. till at
length they heard running water sound
ing above that OF the slow wash Of the
sen to their left, and AIasotI,la babe
them halt. So they waited until pres
emily the moon rose in A clear sky, re-
yealing wide river in front.
Follow me- said Masouda, for l
know the ford. and ut this season the
stream is not deep. Pilgrim Peter,
ride you ut my side III case / should
be washed from the saddle, and, Pill
grim John. come you behind. and IL
they hang back prick the mules with
your sword point
Thus. then. they entered the river,
which many might have feared to do
at night. and. although once or twice
the water rose to their saddles and
the mules were stubborn in the swift
stream, in the end gained the further
bank in SAFETY Thence they pursued
their path through mountains till at
length the sun rose. and they found
themselves in a lonely land where no
one was to be seen Here they halted
in grove Of oaks. off saddled their an
imals. tethered and fed them with bar
ley which they had brought upon
mule. and ate Of the food that Masouda
had provided Then. having secured
the beasts. they lay down to sleep. all
three Of them, since Masouda said that
here there was nothing to fear, and,
being weary, slept on till the heat of
noon was past. when once more they
fed the horses and mules and. having
dinetl themselves. set forward upon
their way.
Now their road--if road it could be
called. for they could see nOne-ran
ever upward through rough. mountain
Gus country. where seemed to dwell
neither man nor beast. At sunset they
halted again and at moOnriSe went for
ward till the night turned toward
morning. when they came to place
where was Il little cave. Before they
reached this spot of sudden the 81
lence of those lonely hills was broken
by sound OF roaring. not very neal
to them, but loud and long.
Lions" said Masouda. I'VE draw
near the country where there are many
of them and therefore shall do well t.
halt presently. since it is best to pass
through that land in daylight"
So when they came TO the cave. hav,
ing heard no more of the lion. or lions
they Unsaddled there, purposing to put
the horses into it. where they would be
safe from the attack of any such raven
ing beast. But when they tried to dc