The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-10-05


he had come, with his long gun. He
was her fathers brothers son, to
whom she was betrothed; he was
Saad, and he was risking his life to
come down and kill her and the man
whom she had led to the ruby mines
for loves sake.
He would come down till he was
within easy range, and then he would
wait till he had fair chance at them,
when they were standing still, and she
knew that he was dead shot. The
travellers revolver could never carry
as far as the long gun, Baraka was
sure. and Saad could come quite near
with safety, since he seemed able to
climb down the face of fat rock
where there was not foothold for a
cat He was still descending, he was
getting very near; if the traveller were
not warned he might come out of the
cave unsuspiciously and Saad would
shoot him. Saad would wish to shoot
him first, because of his revolver, and
then he would kill Baraka at his
leisure. If he fired at her first the
traveller would have a chance at him
while he was reloading his old gun.
She understood why he had not killed
her yet, if indeed he wanted to, for it
was barely possible that he loved her
enough to take her alive.
After hesitating for few moments,
not from fear but in doubt, she gath
cred herself to spring, and made a
dash like an antelope along the sand
for the mouth of the cave, for she
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 gun!" 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 MANI"
He is dead" Baraka answered
without hesitation.
Dead? Already"
Il killed him in his sleep" she said,
"and l dragged his body into the cave
for fear of the vulture, and buried 1t
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
| 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
may see it,"
II tell you l buried it. l killed him
the night before last; cannot dig hin
up now"
why did you run to the mouth o.
the cave when you saw me, If the mar
is dead?"
Because at first | was afraid yor
would shoot me from above, therefore
l took shelter"
why did you come out again, 4
you were In fear?'
After | had run in | was ashamed
for felt surs that you would not xii
me without hearing the truth. So
came out to speak with you. Ge
down, and | will show you the man.
grave"
Have l wings? I cannot come
down. 1t is impossible"
Baraka felt puff of hot air pass
her, just above her right ankle, anC
at the same instant she heard sharl
report, not very loud, and more like
the swapping of a strong but very dr.,
stick than the explosion of firearms
She instinctively sprang to the left
keeping her eyes on Saad
For a moment he did not move. Blu
he was already dead as he slowly ben
forward from the rock, making
deep obeisance with both arms hang
ing down before him, so that his bod!
shot down perpendicularly to thu
sand. where it struck head first, rollet
over and lay motionless in heap
The travellers was a Mauser pisto
that would have killed as surely a
500 yards as so; and the bullet ha,
gone through the Tartar's brain.
Baraka sprang up the sandy slop
and re n along the narrow beach to tn
body. In an instant she had detache
the large brown watergourd from tn
thong by which he it had hung owe
Saad's shoulder, and she felt that
was full. Without a thought for hel
self she FASTENED back to the mout
of the cave where the traveller wa
now standing. His face was drippin
with perspiration that ran down int
his matted golden beard, his eye
were wild his hands were bleeding
; Drink" cried Baraka joyfully, an
she gava him the qOurd