Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-11
CHAPTER XI-Continued.

resultant condensation of surface mois-
ture taken up by the air. But 1t soon
passes. If there is a moon. the land
scape becomes a radiant etching in black
and silver: even when the moon is alb
sent. the light of the stars makes travel
ing safe. Therefore. the time at War
denis disposal was limited. So many
shrewd eyes watched the Mia Moullah
dwelling that if success were to attend
the coup it must be carried out during
the forty minutes of darkness
And there was much to he done in that
brief period. AS soon as the rapidly ad-
vancing gloom permitted. Warden and the
girl crossed the open space In the center
of which stood the moullah's abode. Inc
Englishman was so bronzed by exposure
to the elements that the hood OF pur-
nous was scarcely needed to conceal ms
face The young negress. comely statue
Of ebony draped in white cotton. was so
terror-stricken that she offered the most
serious obstacle to Warden's project But
that could not be helped, He depended
on her to draw those ferret eyes on him.
self for the one precious moment he
needed. After that. he trusted utterly to
his own resources.
There was no trouble at the entrance
to the compound The guards were
Moors recruited from the seaboard prov
inces. we'll paid hirelings whom the Blue
Man could safely order to Kill any OBJ
noxious members of his own tribe. Were
they Arabs, they might have suspected
Warden's accent. but the patois they used
was almost unintelligible among the
desert folk So Warden spoke with a
harsh distinctness
Go. one of YOU he said land tell the
glorious successor of the prophet that
the daughter of Benz Kali awaits his
pleasure.
The chief man among the guards came
forward and peered at them. His glance
foN CHI ivlxi nv
of this stalwart Bedawi.
Its WE'LL he said. Even now the
holy one asked why she tarried. Who
art thou, brother?'
Mahmoud suffer further delay?" cried
Warden. even more loudly.
He risked good deal. because some
true Arab might be within earshot. and
guage of northern Africa that no Euro
pean throat can reproduce.
But his fearlessneSS was justified. A
snarling voice reached them where they
stood.
Bring the girl hither." 1t growled. and
the two were allowed to pass instantly.
Warden's heart throbbed little faster
as he half dragged the covering negress
across the courtyard. She knew what
was going to happen, and had been
coached as to her behavior, but she was
only a child. and her fear was great for
her father and herself. She could not be-
Heve that tnlS SdunC Cnr1SlldH the man
whom she had seen working daily among
the Mia Moullah's slaves. could really ac-
complish the task he had undertaken. So
she whimpered with fright, and would
have run back shrieking II Warden had
not caught her arm and whispered few
words of encouragement.
The prophets habit of cOncealing him
self as much as possible from his ad-
hereDts was now more helpful than a
hundred armed men. He was supposed
to pass day and night in meditation
None had ever seen him eat or sleep. To
carry out this pose he seldom appeared
from behind the thick mats which yelled
the front of the room he occupied.
a lamp was burning within. When
Warden lifted a corner Of one of the mats
he saw a grotesque and ghoulish-looking
figure seated cross-legged on praying
carpet. Two red-rimmed. glittering- black
eyes gazcd fixedly at him. and hand
sought under a cushion for a weapon.
since none dared to pass that screen
without direct instructions. Warden
turned quickly and pushed the girl for
ward.
BENZ Kali was slow In fulfilling your
wishes. worthy of honor" he ex-
claimed. bowling low yet advancing the
while, and never relaxing his grip on the
lance explained his action. The Blue
Man appreciated the rough ways of an
Arab.
There are means to make him speedy"
he chuckled rising.
That was what Warden wanted. In
!. raising himself the moullah was momen-
tarily off his guard. In the next instant
he was lying with his face on the floor;
a strong hand was across his mouth
pulling his head back until his neck was
almost disocated. while the blade of a
sharp knife rested most suggestively
across his throat.
the girl. His voice was quiet and reas-
suring. but she was so completely un-
nerved that she nearly put out the light,
which would have been awkward. Hap
PLY. she avoided that blunder.
Now listen, you dog!' muttered War
den, slightly relieving the tension on the
Blue Mans spinal column. do As I bid
and | shall spare your life. Say but q
and your head will leave your miserable
body. Do you understand. sug?'
He used the concluding epithet purpose
~. 1t is more opprobrious in Arabic than
its English equivalent cur" 1t showed
how fully he was the victor in this unex-
pected strife, and he emphasized the
warning with a more decided pressure Of
the sharp blade in the region of the jugu-
lar vein. The moullah could not have
been more at his mercy We're he man
acied. He was fiat on the ground. sprawl
ing with arms and legs like some ugly
frog. and Warden's' right knee was jam
med in the small of his back. There was
naught to be done but yield. and. when
permitted to speak he murmured humby
that he would obey.
Say 'Seyyid.' you swine said the
Englshman.
''Seyyid." gurgled the other
Pay heed them. continued Warden.
with grim earnestness tlDt left no
doubt In his hearers mind that he would
not hesitate to sit throat il need be.
The least alteration of my commands
shall forfeit thy life. Call the leader of
the guard. and tell him to summon hither
Benz Kali who is to be admitted alone
and without question. Tell him also to
. bring into the compound the three best
camels YOU possess. with store of food
and water for journey. Benz Kali is to
come at once. and the cames to be
ready within ten minutes. Shout now-he
will hear thee"
Thus far the conditions did not sound
onerous. and the Blue Man complied with
them to the fraction of syllable An
anxious. heart-searching five minutes fol-
lowed. Warden did not fail to impress on
the quaking wretch in his grasp that he
was receiving more clemency than he de-
served and warned him sternly against
ever again treating a European with con-
tumely. He could feel the thrill of NOR
tai terror that shook the moullah when
he learnt the identity of his assailant 1t
was good that the tyrant should know
what fear was. Vet the time passed with
leaden feet until Benz Kali. more than
doubling that the Seyyid's scheme had
failed, lifted a mat and thrust an awe
stricken countenance within. The girl ut
tered a cry of relief at the sight Of her
father. but Warden silenced her with a
word.