Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1912-12-27

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 the Wake, as Busy d'Ambois,
as Porthos in the cave Of Loeb Maria,
George fought He wasn't trained
athlete; he hadn't any science; he
was simply ordinarily tough and ac-
tive and clean-lived; and the injustice
Of an unprovoked assault added to
physical prowess O full measure Of
nervous energy. 1t was quasi-Holner-
ic: modern young gentleman in eve
ming dress holding Off for several min
utes five sleek, sinewy, unhampered
Arabs. But the days Of the gods we're
no more; and no quick-witted goddess
cast a veil across the eyes of the
Arabs. No; George had to shift for
himself. Suddenly there came a gen.
eral 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 astronomy, Of two
| planets in the same degree of the 70
diac-meaning Georges head and the
stucco-wall-gave the Arabs complete
mastery Of the field Of battle.
From the opposite side Of the room
came the voice Of the referee:
Curses of Allah upon these white
/ EoH NJ No
homed 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 tattered 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"
There was a long way to go, and
Mahomed was too wise and cautious
to congratulate himself at this early
stage. George was thereupon trussed
up like 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 in the English-Bar deemed 1t nee
essary to be. Whatever happened in
this resort had long been written in
the book Of fate. Had white man
approached to inquire what was going
| Noh oI n1u
whispered that it 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 off at a run
toward 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
victim, watchful and attentive. His
intention was to take him no far
ther 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.
had recovered and was grimly fighting
the lmprisoning ropes.
"You will need your strength" in
terposed Mahomed gently. "If take
the cloth from your mouth, will you
promise not to cry out?" There was
an affirmative nod, and Mahomed un-
tied the bandage. Listen. l mean
you no harm. If you will send to the
hotel for the Holy Yhiordes, you will
be liberated the moment it is put into
my hands"
60 to the deuce!" snapped George,
still dizzy, The fighting mood hadn't
evaporated, by any means. you
know where 1t is better than l." So
this was Mahomed?
George roughly.
easy there! / had the rug, but
1t was stolen this afternoon" He was
very weak and tired. "And If had
it., shouldn't give it to you," with
renewed truculence; "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 bru-
tai hand. Queer fancies fit through u
mans head in times like this; for the
ineffectuality of the bite reminded
him OF Hallowe'ens and the tubs with
the bobbing apples. One thing was
certain: he would kill this pagan the
very first opportunity. Rather a
startling metamorphosis in the char.
acter OF man whose life had been
passed In the peacefulest environ
ments. And to kill him without the
least conjunction, too. To strike a
man who couldn't help himself!
"Hey there!" he yelled. "Help for
white mani" After such treatment
he considered Il anything but dishon