The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-11-04

to his eyes and weighed them down
but fear clutched at his heart.
Through the tent of black felt the
moon shone with, an intense light.
Instinctively his hand went out, to
clasp the broken end of a girdle.
Her girdle!
And she was gone, without a
sound, so swiftly had she been stol-
en-, even as she slept peacefully at
the tent door; his treasure, the
pearEof El.Saffi and all the Sahara
westward, the star of the Kabyles,
known and sung by all the tribes
south to the black countries.
Then, listening, he heard The
shouts of Khifer's men, the thud
of households over the sand, the
crackle of their defiant musketry.
Khifer, who had once come to WOO
her with so dromedaries, and had
gone weeping back for love of her,
swearing to gain her!
1t was sitting inside the tent He
sprang to his feet. buckled on his
sword, seized his matchbox and
rushed out to meet the men of his
tribe, guns in hand. hot-footed and
breathless, questioning, shouting,
pointing hopelessly to the north
east, where Khifer rode with his
men, mere specks of black against
a waning moon.
Presently five had saddled their
horses. accoutered themselves. and
drawn near: Ain Var, the silver
smith, Beth-elMookhtan. the poet,
who had been crowned in Medina;
Abdul the Pilgrim, with green tur-
ban awry; Mulai and Rasseldar
They rode away silently.
When the edge of the huge sun
rose Ain Var halted
"By noon," he said, "Khifer will
be in Foula, 70 follow is mad
ness" And he rode back.
While the sun was yet gathering
strength Abdul drew rein.
There is no we'll before Foula,"
he said. I'VE shall all die" And
he followed Ain Var.
MY stallion would eat no dates
last night" said Mulai presently
Then he and Rassedar also depart
ed. Afterward Beth-el Mookhtan
began to sing.
Friendship is sweeter than clear
water" he quoted. But, my friend
what can we two men do?"
GO, then" replied the bereft one
squirting his stallion. He left Nook
htan weekly protesting and rode
on alone.
The hot sun scorched him. grain
of sand penetrated his veil and en-.
tered his nostrils. an agonizing
thirst tormented him. Mirages
haunted him, so that in fancy he
could see Foula. with her stately
groves of female palm trees, and
the grunting camels beside wells
from which Bedouin maids carried
clear water in earthen jars. His
horse fell under him, and he dis
mounted, standing. a lonely figure
on the vast plain, the bride linked
round his sword arm, the fire-hot
matchbox clinking upon his thigh.
Now a great WEAKNESS came over
him.
Let me die. then, since it Is Thy
will" he murmured, prostrating
himself eastward. And he sank
down on the sand. On the horizon
Foula still danced, and quivered.
Now he saw hustle and confusion
thereas horsemen came galloping
in. Women and girls rushed from
the black tents to acclaim them.
And there was the thief Khifer,
staggering among his men, and
there his Pearl, her broken girdle
dangling at her heels as she walked
defiant and stately among them.
They crowded round, lingering and
appraising her Then they brought
ropes and fastened her to a tree,
thrust food in front of her, and left
her Bu-Hamara started up, ex-
aiming the picture with fierce,
gutteral ordinations. His heart
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