The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1911-12-21

20 W@&T5'
They Had Literally Caught Him Nap
ping.
presently Numbered on westwards,
rocking and Earring over q road-bed
certainly no better than 1t should have
been. Such, at least, was the passen-
gers criticism, as, grooming in an
ticipation of the long night of discom-
fort ahead Of him, he disposed himself
and his belongings about the cushions
of the first-class compartment which
he occupied in solitary grandeur.
O'Rourke had no intention of leav-
ing anything undone that might tend
to mitigate the terrors of the journey.
Five days had elapsed since that
morning in the oasis. In the interval
he had again dared the danger Of the
route more direct than that which had
brought him up with The flying COL
umn. Discharging the guide with a
gratuity larger than his ebbing means
warranted, he had proceeded to e.
Guerrah by the first daily train, and
so now found himself on the, direct
line of communication with Algiers
and the Governor General.
His chiefest concern now lay with
the future and the Pool OF Flame;
both bulked large upon the horizon
and were at once the architects and
the nuclei Of a thousand different
plans of action.
So far, the AFFAIR had worked
smoothly; he anticipated little trou-
BILE.
So thinking he drowsed, and in the
course of time lulled by the hammer
Ing of flat-wheel at the forward end
of the coach, fell asleep. He waken-
ed suddenly after nap of some two
hours or So to confusion of impress
sions: that the train had stopped;
that some one had invaded his COM
partment; that a cold blast was blow
Ing across his wrists. Bewildered and
not half master Of his senses, he start
ed up and fell back with thud, as
sisted to resume recumbent position
~ d ASoVy Az" upOA AAS SASSt, ACAv~
cred by some person for the moment
unknown. simultaneously he was
aware of a clicking sound, followed by
the sensation of being unable to move
his feet; and then, the clouds clearing
from his understanding, he realized
that the cold upon his wrists was that
Of steel. With handouts also on his
ankles, he lay helpless, unable even
to protest because of cloth wadded
tightly into his mouth and a firm hand
that prevented election.
Other hands were rifing his pock-
cts, swiftly but after bungling fash
ion. The train, having paused briefly
at Setif Che afterwards located the
station by conjecture), began to
move again, was presently In
full laundering flight. Abruptly the
examination Of his person-which
was SO thorough that it included
the opening of his shirt to as
sure the thieves that he carried moth
ing in the shape of money-belt-
was concluded and the adventurer
was roughly jerked into sitting po-
sition. At the same time his gag was
removed. -. =.
He gasped, blinked, coughed, and
rolled resentful eye around the com.
partment. BE the powers!" he said
huskily; and no more. At first glance
It became apparent that he had mis-.
calculated the audacity and resource
O'Rourke, refining in desperately.
swung his camel wide to avert -
threatened collision. simultaneously
the sharp "Qui vive?" Of q French
sentry rang out loud and sweet to
hear.
THANK God!" said the adventurer
in his heart. And aloud, "Friends!"
he cried. driving past the sentry In a
cloud of dust.
BY a blessed miracle tho man was
quick Of wit, and swift to grasp the
situation-of which, however, he
must have had some warning from
the rattle of firing. He screamed
something in O'Rourke's ear as the
latter passed, and turning threw him
self nat and began to pump the trig.
ger of his carbine, emptying the maya
zine at the on-sweeping line Of Tou.
aregg. .@ F=
Ito be continued)