The evening world., 1912-04-18

XOu WOutU OrlEuteU up - ~
tie so that ho could get his
behring's. BY now they were
at least fifteen os twenty
" mics from Cairo; but IN
what direction?
Hour after hour went by; over this
huge gray roll OF sand. down n that
cup-iike valley: soundless save when
the cameis protested or his surrup
cllnked against q buckle: oil with the
sombro aspect of Q scene from Dante.
Several black spots, moving In circles
far above. once attracted George; n
he knew them to be kites. which will
follow a caravan into the desert even
"A a gull will follow q ship out TO sea.
Later. a torpid Indifference took pos
session of him. ana the OF pain
grow less under the e~ncroaching numb
moss.
And when at last the spiendor AZ the
dawn upon the desert dashed like .
sword blade along the sky In the east.
grow and w!dened. George comprehend.
ed one thing clearly. that they were In
tho Arabian desert. out Of the main
Travelled paths. In the middle OF no
where.
Ills sense Of beauty did not respond to
the marvel Of the Transformation. The
dark gray of tho sandhiiis that became
Violet NJ their buses. 10 fade away up
ward u,to little ~plnnacles Of shimmer!ns
goad; ~ths drab. fermisss. scattered
bouiders, now assuming clear-cut
shapes, transfused with ruby and sap
ph,rs Glowing; n sun Itself that pres
emily lifted It's rosal warming circle
above the stcpplng-on piace-0eorge saw
but noted not. The physical picture
was oyershadowed by tho one he drew
in his mind. the good ship Ludwig. Dor
ing her way out into the sea.
The sun was FREQ from the deserts
rim when the LEADING camel was naked.
A confusion ensued. ehe canals follow
ing stupidity into n another In . KIND
OF panic. Out Of the silence came a
babbie OF voices. . erunting. . clscter
Of pack ba slSets and saddls.bags.
George. as his camel kneeled. sltd on
invoiuntarily and tumbled against .
small hillocs. and lay there. without
any distinct sense Of what was going
on round him. Tho sand. hne and muta-
BILE, formed Q couch comfortinkiy under
his aching body. and he fell asleep. OK
hausted. Already tho impalpable dust.
which had risen and followed the cara
van all through tho night. had pow
dcred his clothes and his face was
stained and streakcd. His head lay In
The sand. his soft Fedora crushed under
his shoulders. What with the bruises
visibie, tho rents in his coat. h open
SHIRT. soiled. crumpled. coiiarless. no IN
vlted pity; only mono came from tho busy
Arabs. As he slept a frown gathered
upon his face and remained there.
When he came back from his troubled
dreams a bowl Of rico. thinned by hot
water. was given him. He cleaned the
bowl, not because no was hungry. but
because he kne that somewhere along
this journey he would need strength;
ard the recurring fury against his du-
ress caused him to fling the empty bowl
nj tho head Of the camel-ooy who had
brought It. The boy ducked. laughing.
George lay down again. Let them cut
his throat II they wanted to; II was all
the same to him. Again he slept. and
when he was roughly and forc!bly
awakened he sat up with q snarl and
looked about.
His head was clear now. n he began
TO take notice. lie counted. ten. eleven.
twelve camels: a caravan. In truth. pre-
pared Tor u long and continuous journey.
There were three ~pack-camels. laden
with wood. tents and such cooking uten-
sis as the frugal Arab had need OF.
Certainly Mohammcd was q rioh man.
whether re owned tho camels or hired
them for the occasion.
Upon one OF tho beasts they were
putting UP a mahmal. n canopy used 70
protect women from the sun while
riding. One Arab. taller. moro robust
than the Others. moved hithsr end