Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-08

VI lIlelI SdQuleS, IOuI OI Tie Apn1Oulle >
crew opened fire, and brought five of the
while the sixth saved his skin by falling
with his wounded camel and skulking
unnoticed to the hills along the water
course. AS for the remainder, the flank
ing parties bolted before Abdur kad'r or
Abdullah could get within striking dis
lance, and from that hour no sensible
Hadendowa came near the Well of Moses
for many month.
In fact, Rovson found that his own
men were already standing quietly in a
group. waiting for orders, and the two
attachments of caravan Arabs were COM
ing in from the wings in accordance with
his preconcerted plan. Some OF the bolt
ing escort were returning. They looked
shamefaced when they passed Won kerber,
lying dead on the ground. One of them,
a hadli, who wore the green turban and
black cloak of pilgrim to Mecca, began
to mur1nur an explanation to Rovson;
but the giant Effendi gave him such
glance of scorn and anger that the man
made off. lest the evil from which he
had fed might vet befall him. In the
immediate foreground were several pros
trate forms, mostly Arabs injured in the
fight for the camels, and so badly wounded
that they could not move A struggling
camel or two. screaming and kicking In
agony, seemed to be strangely out of
place in the peaceful hush which in
stantlv infolded the desert. The shout
ing and musketry that made pandemo-
mum there a few minutes earlier had
vanished The tops of the more distant
mountains were glowing in purple and
gold, and the blue of the sky was deepen
ing. In that brief hour before the utter
darkness that follows sunset the desert
has a rare beauty. 1t has lights and
shades denied to softer landscapes. Ii
tania's bower can show no more brilliant
color effects 1t is then fit background
for romance and mystery; but 1t breathes
no hint of war or death, and such things
wear a sacrilegious aspect when brought
forcibly into those fairylike surroundings.
DOYSON, though he had watched the
~ Transformation of rock and arid earth
many time with kindling eyes gave
small heed to the dream face of Nature
as he scanned the splendid prospect for
sign of further attack by the Haden-
dowas He found none; but he hap
pened to note the furtive manner of
some among the Arab escort who were
Fastening toward the small hollow in
closed by the Seven Hills.
Then he remembered why this solitary
place had become Golgotha. The hap
less Won kerber was disinterring the
treasure when the Hadendowa assault be-
gan In all likelihood, had the free
hooters ridden boldly up in the first in
stance. the fight would have ended in
less minutes than it had occupied hours.
And these other ghouls, before they were
driven off by hail of lead, had learned
what store of wealth was buried there
beneath the sand.
"Chaytor," said Royson. addressing
one of the crew who had acted as quarter
master on board the yacht, take three
men and mount guard over any trench
or other excavation you may find IN the
valley between those mounds Let no
Arab even approach the place. Use
force if necessary, but try to avoid any
shooting"
Aye, aye sir, said Chaytor. He named
three men, and the four hurried to their
post Bidding the other two sailors to
help him. Royson turned to carry out
disagreeable task. Won kerber, Alferi,
and the rest must be buried while there
was vet light. He meant to make
rough inventory of documents and let
tiers found in the pockets of the Euro
peans. The Arabs would scoop shallow
graves where the sand was deepest, and
10 ha to