Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-09

know of these people, l break my word" he
said harshly. That is the only reply can
argument that any such breach of faith on my
part would probably be useless? You ought
to sympathize with me-
WHY" she said coldly.
Because it is not often that man is tor
tured as l am by conflict between duty and
and desire
There is our palm grove" she cried. point.
ing to a few stunted trees whose fronds showed
| above the rock strewn bank of a small wadi.
or ravine. which cut through the center OF the
shelving plateau they were crossing The
ground is fairly clear here Shall we try a
canter?"
Without waiting for reply she pressed her
pony into steady gallop. Royson responded
The camel path they followed had the distinct
| ness of daily use. though no recognized kafila
had passed that way during the previous year.
Soon it turned up the side of the ravine The
| saydA bushes began to grow more densely. and
the wadi spread to great width. Beyond
patch of pebbles lay a brown carpet of
tough grass In the center stood seven
date trees and considerable number of
stunted bushes. The camping place appeared
First come. first served" Royson cried
joyously, I'VE have the forage to ourselves,
Miss Fenshawe l shall be sorry for any others
who come this way after our host has passed
Look at it now. 1t is an absolute army. We
as locusts are said to eat up a cornfeld +"
Irene slipped from the saddle, 1oosened the
girths, and then glanced at the distant caravan.
which had just become visible again on the sky
that no such mixed gathering of men and ami
mails had taken that road since the destruction
of forests converted the country into wilder
ness The party from the yacht numbered
eighteen: there were fifty Bedouin Arabs in
attendance on hundred camels: eight horses,
"a Of
while the sheik who had brought the caravan
from Pajura was overload of a score of hangers
on who figured in his list servants
The girl watched the approaching caravan
silently for time. How far distant are they
now" she asked
Nearly two miles. 1t looks more like two
furlongs," said he, divining her thought: for
it was easy to discern Mrs Haxton, wrapped in
in advance of the main body. Beside her. on
Arab horses, were Fenshawe and Won Kerber
the latter having just ridden up from the rear
The woman in question was bending toward
Fenshawe.
FIVE weeks previously the Aphrodite dropped
anchor off Pajura after crossing from Aden
where Fenshawe had despatched his cable
grams and obtained portion of the equip
ment needed for the desert tour. The arrival
of such large party occasioned no little excite
| ment at the French port That tiny station
| had not seen many white faces at one time
since its establishment.
The French officers at Pajura thought he
| was rather cracked to take women with him.
yet they were obliged to admit that desert
travel was healthy and enjoyable provided
supplies were ample: and on this score the
skilled explorer of Sudan byways showed that
he had lost of his cunning. Before the
caravan started news came from Alden that
the Cigno had been dragged off her sandspit
This gave an added value to the land route
as the coast of Eritrea was assuredly closed
| to them. The French authorities. on the
other hand, rendered every assistance in their
power.
And now, after month of steady marching
the caravan was we'll within Italian territory
The route lay parallel with the sea, but nearly
hundred miles distant from it Thus far no
unexpected difficulties had cropped up. The
few nomads encountered were only too anxious
to be friendly. The weather, scorching by day
and intensely cold by night. was quite bearable
Indeed to anyone in good health. it supplied a
marvellous tonic Travellers less admirably
equipped might have suffered annoyance from
| the snakes and scorpions which seem to thrive
in the midst of sunburnt desolation: but these
| voyagers de luxe slept in hammocks slung in
roomy tents, and assiduous servants dislodged
every stone before they spread the felt carpets
on which the heaven born deigned to sit at
meals
| Yet. as Irene had guessed correctly. this
magnificent progress through the desert con-