Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-02
.Burlandl

able. if less intelligent. being than .
spider.
AT the end of month he had reached
the NTH oasis, and had travelled more
than three hundred miles from the settle
ment. Another two hundred miles would
bring him to the great caravan route
There he proposed to remain until he
wanted to returp to England
He left the fifth oasis with a plent,fu,
supply OF dates and water and Travelled
for six days bearing forty-five degrees
TO the south of the point where the sun
rose. At the end of the sixth day he be-
gan to be anxious He should have come
10 the peNt oasis, for he was travelling
ffteen miles a day. but wherever he
looked there was still an unbroken vista
of sand. He only had food and water
Tor another five days
he was uncertain how to act He had
evidently gone too far to the north or too
far to the south. but he could not tell
IN which direction he had made the error.
lie scanned the horizon in vain for any
sign of tree. But il was not easy to see
far on the great undulatns plain. The
air. heated by the sun. moves unceasing-
~. and obstructs clear view in any d.
rection.
He took penny from his pocket and
tossed it in the air
Heads: south; tails. north" he said to
the camel
Heads it is. old boy" he cried. and
thrust the coin under the cameI's nose.
as though to show that there was no
cheating
Then he remembered the last time he
had tossed and the result of the decision
THE coins lie" he said aloud after a
pause. We will go north Seesaw due
NORTH
And northward he went, and before an
other day had passed he sighted some
dark blotches on the horizon.
AS he drew nearer he noticed that the
palms were shorter than usual, and that
there was an absence Of green heritage
at the foot of them.
1t was not till he came within q quar-
what had happened. The oasis had lain
IN the track of great sand storm and had
been almost made one with the desert.
Wnen he reached the trees he found
that he could almost touch the leaves Of
some. 1t was easy enough to gather the
1ruit But he could not find any trace Of
water. Perhaps the spring lay under a
dozen feet Of sand.
He stayed there the night and then pro-
ceeded on his way. A new danger con-
fronted him. He had read Of these sand
storms. more terrible than any storm at
sea. A death from which there was no
escape-a choking. binding. horrible
death. They were not frequent. but
when they came they swept every living
thing Into one smooth brown tomb
When ne had gone about ten miles on
his journey to the next oasis his atten-
ton was drawn to small piece OF scar
He dismounted and pulled at it with both
his hands 1t resisted his efforts and
seemed to be part of something buried
deep in the sands
Sir Richard Gaunt dug away the sand
with both his hands until his fingers
came to something solid. Then he paused
for moment He knew what he had
found. but did not know whether he
wished to see more of 1t.
He decided that 1t was his duty to fin-
fsh his work. and. after little more
scooping out Of the sand, he barred face
and body to the sunshine
He recognized the face and half shut.
ting his eyes, he fumbled at the clothes
and found leather pouch. From this he
took letter, sealed with red wax and
decorated with tassels of green silk The
handwriting was his own, and 1t was adj
dressed to Lady Betty Drake. Close to Il
were four English sovereigns, and they
had been pressed SO tightly against it
that they had left four circular marks
on the paper.
Sir Richard Gaunt slipped the letter ana
the gold into his pocket and then pro-
ceeded to heap up the sand on the body.
When he had finished, and the smooth
mound had resumed its placid appear.
ance. he remounted the camel and pro-
ceeded on his way toward the next oasis.