The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-07-17

1t would be as well to participate In the benefits bestowed by a merciful Prov idence. These white infidels were rich and able to pay well for any services rendered to them.
 So they took Richard Gaunt on board their dhow, and set sail for the coast, which was forty miles distant.
 They used every means in their pow CT to restore him to life. but 1t was not until they were within a mile of their destination that he opened his eyes and cried out for water.
 A draught of strong. bitter wine put lie Into his wasted body. and he greed fly devoured some dates that were or fered himT Then he asked a few ques- tons. but finding that he was not un- derstood. he relapsed into silence The men tabbered away in an unknown tongue and made signs. which conveyed nothing to his mind He made no ef- fort to comprehend what they were saying. He had no wish to know who they were, or where they were taking him to. For the time being the affairs of the world did not interest him. He could only think of his escape from death, and of that last agony in which nc had prayed to God for life.
 The vessel sailed down. narrow channel between two black walls or rock and anchored in a blue and sun lit pool. On either side of 1t were more rocks, so high that they oyertopped the masts. but the shore itself was a stretch of smooth white sand Two hundred yards inland there was small oasis, covered with green herbage and date palms. but beyond that there was nothing but an und1lating plain or sand. extending as far as the eye could reach. A few tents and huts wore scattered about under the shade of the rlQUinR on the sand and building castles. just for all the world like sGng1ish children at Margate. Some women, closely veil- ed, came leisureiy down to the edge or the water and stared at the vessel, as though they had not seen it before.
 Richard Gaunt was rowed ashore In lat-bcttomed boat, and at once be- came the center of small crowd The children left their little heaps of sand, and the women turned away from their contemplation of the vessel But one of the men, who appeared to have some authority over the others. spoke a few sharp words, and the crowd dispersed Two strong. swarthy fellows laid hold of Gaunt and carried him up the slope, for he was still too weak to walk. They took him to the door of large hut, built of branches. and laid him on the threshold. Then one of them cried out something. and they both stood aside and waited.
 In a few moments the door of the hut opened and an old man came out. and. supporting himself with the aid of two sticks. gazed ixedly at the prostrate figure. It seemed to Gaunt l that this was the oldest man he had ever seen. The. brown face was wink led like thes.shell of a walnut. The | body, once of more than average height, was so bowed by age that the long white beard fell below the knees. | The hands were all veins and muscles, and looked almost like designs for an anatomical student. Only the eyes re- tained the vigor and sparkle of youth.
 They were dark, piercing and full of | life.
 For more than minute the little
 group remained motionless, then the | old man asked a question and received
 a long and yoluble reply, Then he pointed with a stick to small hut. | and hobbled back into his house. (COntiRued FomOrFow.l