The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1912-04-25
CHAPTER v,l.-(continued.)

" CHAPTER Vil.-(continued.)
BY dawn they were ready to start;
and so, in the level rays of a SUI that
seemed a dazzling sphere Of intoler-
able light, posing itself in the eastern
rim of the world as if 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 a
sitting a blooded mehari as n to the
wilderness born.
On the seventh night they bivouack-
ed hard on the heels of the flying col
umn, having for seven days pursued
1t this way and that, z%igzagging into
the heart of the parched land.
Now, when they were come within
six hours. Of their goal, reluctantly.
long after nightfall, O'Rourke gave
consent to halt, c%onceding the ne
cessity; for WEAKNESS weighed upon
their shoulders a great burden, and
the 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 a sensation of fall
Ing headlong into a great pit of OBJ
livion, bottomless. eternal. Yet it
seemed no more thar a moment ere
he 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 IT.
ritation possessed him. His guide had
been overzealous. He turned upon the
man and seized him roughly by the
arm.
What the d~ivvle!" he grumbled an
gIily, between a yawn and a chatter
Of teeth-for the air was bitter cold.
1.-THE moons not yet up"
Hush, Sidi.' Something in 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 moor 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
air 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
repeating rifle swinging from the sad
die remained a comfort to his palm
, He grew more confident, mentally d
ease, seeing the desert, take shape
in the moonlight and show itself desc
late OH every hand.
Even as he gained assurance from
this thought, the guide turned in hi
saddle and cried a warning: THE Tou
aregg!" From that moment on boil
welded merciless whips. For out o
the moonlit wastes behind them ha'
shrilled a voice. cruel and wild, al
nouncing discovery and the ~inceptio
Of the chase. che fugitives had nee
of no sharper spur
A rife shot rang sharp on the echoe
of that cry, but the bullet must hav
fallen far short. A moment later, il
deed, they opened a brisk, scatterin
tire-naturally Intellectual, though tn
bullets dropping right and left in tn
sand proved that the chase had &C
within range.
Even with that warning, the en-
was nearer than he had dreamed {
hopea:s 1t came in a twinkling and
cnev'ef y r. ,s~i tolt out Of q clea
ttis!ei"yH.JS@i If-,a- --.Eth iH'e