The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1911-03-29
CHAPTER vli.-(continued.)


BY dawn they were ready to start;
and SO, In the level rays of a sun that
seemed a dazzling sphere of intoler-
able light, posing itself in the eastern
rim of the world as IL undecided
whether or no to take up its flight
across the Armament, the little cara
van rocked out into the fastness OF
the desert. the Irishman in the van
sitting blooded mehari as one to the
wilderness born.
, en- the seventh night they bivouack'
ad,,Aard bn. the heels of the flying col
opmn.. having: for seven days pursued
Il this way and that, zigzagging into
he heart of the parched land"
Now, when they were. come within
six hours OF theiP gbal. reluctantly,
long after .pightfall, .O'Rougke gave
consent to halt, conceding. the ne
unlI5E; for wearfness' weighed UPON
a SHOULDERS a great burden, and
he camels. had. become unusually sui.
: len and evil tempered; If rest were
denied them presently they would
become obstinate and refuse to. follow
the road.
O'Rourke closed his eyes and lost
consciousness with sensation. OF fall
ing headlong into great pit of OBJ
livion, bottomless, eternal. Yet II
seemed no more than a moment ere
ne was sitting up and rubbing sight
into his eyes, shaken out OF slumber
by his guide
He stumbled TO his feet and lurched
toward the camels. still but half
awake. When his senses cleared ir-
ritation possessed him. His guide had
been overzealous. He turned upon the
man and seized him roughly by the
arm.
What the divvle!" he grumbled an
grily, between a yawn and a chatter
of teeth-for the air was bitter cold.
The moons not yet up"
Hush, Sidi!" Something I'm the
guides tone stilled his wrath. THE
Touaregg are all about us. They have
been passing us throughout the
night
I'VE knew this and did not wake
me?"
There was no need; We could not
have moved ere this without detection
Now, they are all a-stir, and We In
the night. may pass for them-until
moon-up."
The guide turned away to rouse the
mehara. prodding them up, mutinous.
snarling and ugly. In another five
minutes they were again moving for
ward. by the time the silver rim OF
the moon peered over the edge OF the
east they were pelting on at full speed
as yet. apparently, undetected by the
Touaregg
An hour passed, and the chill In the
al. became more intense; dawn was
at hand. A sense OF security, OF dan
gers left behind. came to the Irish
man; he began to breathe more free
ly, though still the polished butt of a
repeating rifle swinging from the sad
die remained comfort TO his palm.
He grew more confident. mentally at
ease, seeing the desert take shape
in the moonlight and show itself desc
late on every hand.
Even as he gained assurance from
this thought, the guide turned In his
saddle and cried a warning: THE Tou-
areggl" From that moment on both
welded merciless whips. For out of
the moonlit wastes behind them had
shrilled a voice, cruel and wild, an
nouncing discovery and the inception
Of the chase. The fugitives had need
Of no sharper spur.
A rife shot rang sharp on the echoes
of, that cry. but the bullet must have
fallen far short. moment later, In
deed, they opened brisk. scattering
Internationally Intellectual, though the
bullets dropping .righ. and left in the
sand proved that the chase had got
within range.
Even with that warning, the end
was nearer than he had dreamed or
hoped. II came in a 'twinkling and as
unexpected as a bolt out OF . clear