Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-01-23

\ Tell IN heap. beside 1t. ThWack!
Bang! George struggled to his feet
and tugged at the sitting envelope.
Some one jumped upon his back, Old
Man Of the Sea style. A savage elbow
| jab disposed of this incubus. And then
the racket began all over again.
George never paused mentally to Won
der what all this rumpus was about;
time enough to make Inquiries after
the scrimmage Intrepidly. as Here
ward of Wake, as Busy d'Ambois. as
Porthos in the cave of Loch-Maria,
George fought He wasn't trained
athlete; he hadn't any science; he was
simply ordinarily tough and active and
clean-lived: and the injustice of an
unprovoked assault added to physical
prowess a full measure of nervous
energy. 1t was quasi-Homeric; a mod
ern young gentleman In evening dress
holding off several minutes five sleek,
sinewy, unhampered Arabs. But the
days Of the gods were no more; and no
quick-witted goddess cast veil across
the eyes of the Arabs. No; George
had to shift for himself Suddenly
there came general rush from the
center of the room into one OF the
| right-angular corners. The subsequent
snarl of legs and arms was not unlike
that seen upon the football field,
George was the man with the ball.
And then to George came merciful
darkness. The conjunction, as in as.
tronomy, of two planets in the same de-
gree of the Zodiac--meaning Georges
head and the stucco wall-gave the
Arabs complete mastery of the field Of
battle. ..sE
From the opposite side of the room
OF Allah upon these white dogs! How
they flght!" And Major o. peered
down into the corner.
One by one the Arabs got up, each
examining his honorable wounds.
George alone remained unmoved, quiet
and disinterested, under the folds Of
the battered burnouse .,..
rs he dead?" demanded Mahomed.
mo, my father. His head hit the
wall"
Hasten, then. Bind his feet and
hands and cover his eyes and mouth.
We have but little time" q
There was long way yet to 60, and
Mahomed was too wise and cautious
to congratulate himself at this early
stage. George was thereupon trussed
up like a Christmas fowl ready for the
oven. They wrapped him up in the
burnouse and carried him out to the
closed carriage in, waiting. No one
in the street seemed curious. No one
sary to be. Whatever, happened in
this resort had long been written in
the book OF fate. Had a white man
approached to inquire what was going
on, Mahomed would have gravely whis-
pered that 1t was a case Of plague
they were hurrying away to prevent
interference by the English authorities.
Once George was snug inside the
carriage 1t was driven of at run to-
ward the tombs of the caliphs. As
the roads were not the levelest, the
vehicle went most Of the way upon two
wheels. Mahomed sat beside his vic.
tim, watchful and attentive His in.
tention was to take him no, farther than
the outskirts Of the city, force him to
send back to the hotel duly credited
messenger for the rug, after which he
would turn George adrift. with the
reasonable assurance that the young
man would find some one to guide him
back to the hotel. After a while he
observed that George had recovered
and was grimly fighting the imprison-
ing ropes.
"You will need your strength" in.
terposed Mahomed gently. 1T l take
the cloth from your mouth, will you
promise not to cry out?" There was
an affirmative nod. and Mahomed I'm.
tied the bandage. Listen. mean
you no harm. If you well send to the
hotel for the Holy Yhiordes, you will
be liberated the moment 1t is put into
my hands," .
60 to the duce!" snapped George,
still dizzy. The fighting mood hadn't
evaporated, by any means. you
know where it is better than T." So
this was Mahomed?
FOOL" cried the other, shaking
George roughly.
Easy there! I had the rug, but
it was stolen this afternoon" He was
very weak and tired. "And if had it,
shouldn't give it to YOU" with re-
newed turbulence; "and you may put
that in your water-pipe and smoke it,
Mahomed. no longer pacific, struck
George violently upon the mouth. He,
on his part, was unknightly enough to
attempt to sink his teeth in the brutal
hand. Queer fancies fit through
mans head in times like this; for the
Intellectually Of his bite reminded him
of Hallowe'ens and the tubs with the
bobbing apples. One thing was GER
tain; he would kill this pagan the very
first opportunity. Rather a startling
metamorphoris in the character of
man whose life had been passed in the
peacefnlest environments. And to kill
him without the least conjunction,
too. To strike man who couldn't
help himself!
"Hey there!" he yelled. "Help for
white mani" After such treatment he
considered it anything but dishonor.
able to break his parole And where
was Ryanne? Help"
Mahomed swung his arm round
Georges neck, and the third cry began
with gurgle and ended with sigh.
Lefty. the Arab rebandaged the prison
er's mouth. So belt. He had bad his
chance for freedom; now he should>
drink to the bottom of the bitter cup.
along with the others. He had had no