Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-15

darker In the gorge; but the rocks were almost
white so that it was quite possible to see the way
by the faint light
THE man and the girl stood before the pool; the
still water reflected the stars.
This is the place." Baraka said. DO you see
anything
swered Il have been here alone by day. l know
this place. There is nothing here, and there is no
way up the wall"
Baraka laughed softly. The secret could not
have been kept by my fathers for fourteen genera
lions if it easy to find out, she said. The
way is not easy: but know it
Lead replied the traveller II will follow ,?ll
No. returned the girl Il will go little way
down the gorge and watch, while you go in.
The man did not trust her How could he tell
but that she had brought him to an ambush where he
to be murdered for the sake of his money and
his good weapon? The rubies real, far
he could tell but they might be only bait. He
shook his head
'Listen" said Baraka. 'At the other side of the
pool there place where the water from this spring
flows away under the rock. That is the passage.
50! have seen the entrance answered the traveller
1T is small that dog could not swim through it.
1T looks But it is SO deep that one can walk
through it easily, with ones head above water. 1t
is not more than fifty steps long. That is how l
found it, for one day 1 wandered here alone in the
morning for shade, when the air was like fire; and
being alone bathed in the clear pool to cool myself,
and found the way and brought back the stones,
which l have hidden since. For if my father
and brothers know that l have seen the treasure
they will surely kill me, because the women must
never learn the secret. You See she lauSneO a
little Il am the first of us who has known it since
many generations and have already betrayed it to
you! They are quite right to kill us when we find it
out
This is an idle tale said the traveller. Go into
the pool before me- and l shall believe and follow
you under the rock. will not go and leave you
here.
You are not very brave though you are hand
some If they come and find me here, they will kill
me first"
You say it. but do not believe it. think there
a deeD hole the and that L shall Slip
into it and be drowned, for no man could swim in
such place l have but life, and l do not care
to lose it in a water rats trap You must go in
and lead the way if you wish me to trust you.
Baraka hestated and looked at him. How can
/ do this before your? she asked.
Il will not go alone the man answered, for he
expected foul play. DO as you will
THE girl took from her head the large cotton cloth
with which she yelled herself, and folded it and
laid it down the rock by the pool; then let her
outer tunic of thin white wooden fall to the ground
round her feet, and stepped out OF it, and folded 1T
also and laid it beside her VEIL and she stood up tall
and straight young Egyptian goddess in the
starlight, clothed only in the plain shirt without
sleeves which the women of her country wear night
near him in the soft gloom and heard her slip
off her light shoes
Il will go before you, she said; and she stepped
into the pool and walked slowly through the water
The ira Weller followed her he was, for he was
unwilling to leave behind him anything he valued
and what he had was mostly in the pockets of his
coat and could not be much hurt by water. Even
his pressed herbs and flowers would dry again, his
cartridges quite waterproof, his letters in
impervious case, and his money was IN COIN
When he entered the pool he took his revolver from
its place and held it above the water in front of
him as he went With his other hand he carried
the sack he had brought which of those
that made of Bokhara carpet and are meant to
sling a camel.
Baraka was almost up to her neck in the water
when she reached the other side of the pool;
moment later she disappeared under the rock, and
the traveller bent his knees to shorten himself Tor
there only for his head above the surface.