The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-09-04


knew that Saad would not risk vast
ing his shot on her while she was run
ming. She stopped just under the
shelter Of the rock and called inward:
"Saad is coming down the rock with
his gum" she cried. Load your
weapon!"
When she had given this warning
she went out again and stood before
the mouth Of the cave with her back
to it. Saad was on the rock, not so
feet above the ground, at the other
side of the natural wall, but looked
as If even he could get no farther
down. He was standing with both his
heels on ledge SO narrow that more
than half the length Of his brown feet
stood over It; he was leaning back
fiat against the sloping cliff, and he
had his gun before him. for he was
Just able to use both his hands with
out falling. He pointed the gun at her
and spoke:
Where is the man."
"He is dead" Baraka answered
without hesitation.
Dead? Already"
II killed him in his Sleep" she said,
"and dragged his body into the cave
for fear of the vulture, and buried it
IN the sand. Be not angry, Saad,
though he was my fathers guest.
Come down hither and l will tell all
Then you shall shoot me or take me
home to be your wife, as you will, for
I am quite innocent"
She meant to entice him within
range of the strangers weapon.
There is no foothold whereby to
get lower" he answered, but he
rested the stock of his gun on the mar
row ledge behind him.
Drag out the mans body, that l
may see it."
Il tell you I buried it. killed him
, the night before last; I cannot dig him
up now"
"Why did you run to the mouth of
the cave when you saw me, If the man
Is dead?"
Because at first was afraid you
would shoot me from above, therefore
l took shelter"
why did you come out again, If
you were in fear?" .-.-...-. ....--.- NJ
After had run in was ashamed,
! for felt sure that you would not kill
me without hearing the truth. So
came out to speak with you. Get
down, and l will show you the mans
grave"
Have Il wings? 1 cannot come
down. It Is impossible"
Baraka felt pun of hot air pass
her, just above her right ankle, and
at the same instant she heard a sharp
the swapping of strong but very dry
stick than the explosion Of firearms.
She instinctively sprang to the left,
keeping her eyes on saad.
For moment he did not move. But
he was already dead as he slowly bent
forward from the rock, making
deep obeisance with both arms hang
ing down before him, so that his body
shot down perpendicularly to the
sand, where 1t struck head first, rolled
over and lay motionless in heap
The travellers was Mauser pistol
that would have killed as surely at
500 yards as So; and the bullet had
| gone through the Tartar's brain.
Baraka sprang up the sandy slope
and ran along the narrow beach to the
body. In an instant she had detached
the large brown water-gourd from the
thong by which he 1t had hung over
Saad's shoulder, and she felt that it
was full Without thought for her.
| self she fastened back to the mouth
of the cave where the traveller was
now standing. His face was dripping
with perspiration that ran down into
his matted golden beard, his eyes
were Wild his hands we're bleeding
Drink" cried Baraka joyfully, and
she gave him the gourd.
He gripped it as a greedy dog snaps
ut bit of meat, and pulling out the
wooden plug he set the gourd to his
lips, with an expression of beatitude.
But he was an old traveller and only
! drank a little, knowing that his life
might depend on making the small
| supply last. A gourd of water was
worth more than many rubies just
then.
Are you very thirsty YETI" he
asked in harsh voice.
NO." answered Baraka bravely;
keep it for yourself"
His hand closed round the neck of
the gourd and he looked up towards
the rocks above. The vulture had
come back and was circling slowly
down.
you had better bury the body,
while go on working" said the trav-
eler, turning back into the cave and
taking the gourd with him.
Baraka had marked the place where
he had tried to dig for water and had
almost disappeared in the quicksand.
She took from the body the wallet, in
which were dates and some half-dry
bread, and then dragged and pushed
and rolled the dead man from the
| place where he had fallen. The vul-
ture sat on the lowest ledge where
his claws could find hold, and
| though he watched her with horrible