The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1911-01-18
Joy Harold Carter

4 . D q y y y 4 y y y y y y
by Harold carter
When Compton was sent BY the
Egyptian oyernment to inquire why
1.-THE inhabitants of Darftr had paid
Inc taxes for three years, be set On
alone. on came back. across 75 miles
iot sandy waste west from the Me,
until he reaches the offending village.
1brehim, the shieks received him alone.
The inhabitants had taken 70 the
! hills leaving their mise PIE mud apts
deserted. I. y Il y
.Excellency. we are poor foil I, said
the sheik. Last year the Nile failed
itosrise To the height which God usual:
tiyI grants us, and we have no grain
I'm that square barn Of yours over
iby the sand hills 40 grain enough To
feed your village three years, said
Compton. You will return with me
Ito omdurman and ma Ike your reply
Ito the governor II J. i 'as!5s
i The sheik protested. BY the pro
phets beard, he had no grain Enc;
mles had lied about him. Would not
the Englishman at least accompany
him to the said barn, that he might
show him that II contained nothing
except q water :cistern and "a fewSarms
ifulsS Of straw. y /; II II
In the end Compton hltched his rid:
| ing camel to date palm and set OF
afoot the shelf strIding atshis side
teross the SAND. Arrived AT the bart,,,
4 wooden structure, the shelk motion.
I'd Compton to ente Al the ,Eng fish
Eman steoped under the ldHf stfhctlres
Ihe felt 4 stlnnihg blow Iipon the hack
, # bis head Hs isehlsa forward 81;
sensible. 1. n 1. III II
when he recovered 4 conscfo usness
be; found that he vas alone. He was
Tying Upon his bad on ID small plat
form against the inner wall ofs 3he'
barp close to The low roof; SEheH5hel
.ried toSrise he discovered that he
was fastened TO the platform BY a
leather thong In. such position that,
though he could meye his limbs free.
y, he could not rise. The granary
vas filled, aim lost to the level OF the
platform, with heat..sS
Compton was puzzled. Why had
The Isheik fsbd,ind (. him and left him,
Sheresi & Was 1T that The might slowly;
starye to death in the midst Of this,
plenteony store While he wondered
he heard the dripping Of water. Then
he perceived that the contents Of q
large cistern upon the roof were les;
Gaping, "a q thin irickle, into the!
grain. II, Y ~ r. & 4
III he could get aspnrchase upon
something he could tear himself free;
from the flimsy platform and batter
eynithe9walls But, though he strain
ed desperately. ne; could not escape
He was helpless as q turtle that ia;
turned on his back. Ss5i
AZ must have become iiRe onseleasi
again, for when he opened i his eyes
lie saw that the wheat had sheaped it,
self about and over him. He brushed
his face clear and looked around. The;
grain! was slowly rising to the roof.
4 Aud all lat once the sheik'si diabol5
zeal ipNrpose became clear. The drip
ping water, permeating the grain, had
caused It to fermeRt; 1t would swell
until It reached the roof, burying him
in Its midst. Hetwould be smothered
alive In wheat. s5a55 81 4, # fi
He struggled madiy, INCREASINGLY
Yet, slowly, inch by inch, It gained on
him. Only his face was clear, and all;
around the shining piles grew. ready
to topple over and smother him. Pro
long the agony a! he might at length
III would sweep over. him. Resistance
seemed hopeless, rescue a chimeraa,
IT climbed, sucking ut his throat,
creeping over his arms. Now he could
no longer free his body, and the mer.
est breathing space remained clear!
Sover5hisT face. He feiiiinto a stupor.
In his dreams he was free; he heard
the reseae party battering down The
walls; Il a !, s.!S
He started. at his side the wall had.
broken and g hot breath blew On him
He opened his eyes: Cheek BY jowlI
with his he saw q shaggy heat; a 5cto;
ven Zip, sSand "a tongue that greedily'
swept aWayt thes grain from around
him. 1t was his camel! - 9s.a
The hungry animal. 'maddened With
the scent of the. grain, had broken
from It's hltching place and battered
down the tlmbers, proyidentially al
frhe very spot where its master lay
! OF had II scented him and Instructive
~: come to him !? Y q, y NJ ;ss i.
Ak. But soon It's hunger would be ap
tpeased once more the hot torrent;
would come pouring down. And ali;
at once Compton perceived / his last
hope, He flung his arms wildly out
and grasped the brute around sthe
neck. 1t snorted and started back
\ Compton II chung desperately. One!
mighty heaye. and the plank to which
he was bound came bodily away, fling
ling him swith stunning force against
the side oft3|the. barn; I And through
the broken timhersS Compton perceiyS