New-York tribune., 1908-03-15

through the dam the water would run again.
and she watched the sand for hours but Il
was d-1e- than ever. The shadow broadened
again. and CTept UP the rock quickly as the
afternoon passed
Il was a long time since she had heard any
sound from the cave. She went to the en-
trance and listened. but al was quite still
Perhaps the traveller had fallen asleep from
exhaustion. too tired even 10 drag himself out
INTO the ar when ne could work no longer.
so she sat down n the entrance and waited
An hour passed. Perhaps he was dead Al
the mere inward suggestion baraka sprang tC
her feet and her heart beat frartlcallv. and
stood still an instant. and then beat again As
i Il would burst, and she could hardly breathe
She steadieL herself against the rock, and then
went III to know the truth. feeling her way
and lrstIuctiveiv shading her ewes as many
people do n the darE-
A breath of cool air made her open them. and
To her arlaEe-uent there was Hglt before her
She ran forward on the smooth sand. and
stumbled on a heap of earth and stones. Just
as she saw the sky through an irregular open
ing on the level If her face. Scarcely believing
her senses. she thrust out her hand toward the
hole 1t was real and she was not dreaming.
The traveller had got out, and was gone, reck-
1-E little Of what might happen 10 her, since
he was free with his treasure
Baraka crept up the slope ri earth as quickly
as she could and got out. L she bad hoped
to hna hl-n waiting tor her. she "-s dlsa[-
pointed, Tor he was nowhere To- Je seen Tie
had E0- clear lwaE- with his camel bag tU-I
of rutles. 4 moment later she was lying on
the ground. with her face II the little stream,
drinking her I'LL and torgettu. even o1 the
man she loved In order to deprive them OF
water the men had dug a channel by wllch
Il ran down directly from the spring To the
ravlne On that side. then they had blocked
up the entrance with stones and eaTtl, De
lievlng that one mans strength could never
suffice % break through. and had gone away
They had probably buried OF burned BaTaEa
clothes for she dri not see them anywhere
She ate some ot the dates from the dead
man wallet. and q ulc - The dry U-llA bread,
and felt revived. since her greatest need mad
been ior water. and That was satisfied But
when she had eaten and drunk and had
washed herself N the stream and twisted up
her haIr, she sat down on q rock and she
felt so tired that she would have fallen asleep /
i the pain II her heart had not kept her
awake. She Clasred her hands together on /
her knees and bent over them. rocking herself
WIZ nearly an hour had passed She
w looked up and that the sun was
sinking f5~ the shadows were turning purple /
II the deep gorge, and there was golden /
light on the peaks above ole listened tEtIl. /
holding her breath. but there was no sound /
EXCEPT the rIuhl1nE Of the tiny stream as II /
fell over q ledge at some distance Le-." Ler- /
following It's rev wav down the valley
she rose at last looked upward. and seemed /
about to % away when q thought occurred /
To her which atJerWard led 70 very singular
ID.
y-srI-r or climbing out OF II, she went back t.
the entrance of the cave. taking the wallet
y-i-h her. dragged herself IN once more over /
-h.. loose stones and earth. reached the secret
hollow where the pool had been, and made
---afrrflr for the little mine OF precious stones
,r,i-s Traveller had broken out many more tGan
he had been able - carry; but she aid not
- - collect them al. She was not together
..-.-- ~ +t.- trade Car-1ed on by the men
II her family f8r generations. and. though she
had not the least idea Of the real value 81 tHt
So If The -r.hies she knew very well that
u would be. wise o. take many s-na- ones
which she could exchange Tor clothing ana
with the first women She met IN
The r;lfs while hiding the rest Of the supply
5b- would lt able % carry II the wallet
When She had made her wise selection, she
Looked once more toward the qI-cls4n1, and
left the place forever. once outside. she De
,5..r - climb the rocks As fast as She could. iar
[e-v soon IT would be night and she Would
have to lie down and wait nearly twelve h'ars
for the. lav. since there was no moon. anu lle
- ~ ~. dangerous. even Tor "a Tartar
,,-f vino could almost tread on ar
p I5,oh ND on the .rrrta.u. over me dry Wei
-.f..-+ g.-.L.4 and I'll, stranger mad been I'M