Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-01-30

accidents, would take fully thirty-five
days. The daily journeys proceeded
uneventfully. Mahomed maintained q
taciturn grimness. II he aimed at
Ryanne at all, twas In trifling an
noyances, such as forgetting to give
him his rations unless he asked for
them, or walking over the cards spread
out upon the sand. Ryanne carried
himself very we'll Had he been alone
he would have broken loose against
Mahomed; but he thought Of the 9TH
ers, and restrained himself-some con-
sideration was due them.
But into the blood OF the two men
there crept a petty irritabilitiy. They
answered one another sharply. and
often did not speak. Fortune alone
seemed mild and gentle. Mahomed,
since that night she had braved him,
let her go and come as she pleased,
nor once disturbed her. Had she
shown weakness when most she need
ed courage, Mahomed might not have
altered his plans. Admiration OF
courage is inherent in all peoples. So,
without approaching 1t, that moment
much unpleasantess.
BY the twentieth day, the caravan
was far into the Arabian desert, and
early in the afternoon, they came up
on beautiful oasis, nesting like an
emerald in plaque Of gold. So many
days had passed since the beloved
green Of growing things had soothed
their inflamed eyes, that the sight OF
this haven cheered them all nightly.
Once under the shade Of the palms,
the trio picked up heart. Fortune
sang a little, George told funny
story, and Ryanne wanted to know
if they wouldn't take hand at euchre.
Indeed, that oasis was the turning.
point Of the crisis. Another week
upon the dreary, proAtless sands, and
their spirits would have gone under
completely.
This oasis was close to the regular
camel-way, there being larger oasis
some twenty-odd miles to the north.
But Mahomed felt safe at this dis.
lance, and decided to freshen up the
caravan by two-days' rest.
George Immediately began to show
Fortune little attentions. He fxed her
saddle bags, spread out her blanket,
brought her some ripe dates Of his
own picking, insisted upon going to
the well and drawing theswater she
was to drink. And oh! how sweet and
cool that water was, after the gritty
fiat liquid they had been drinking!
Just before shutdown, he and Fortune
set out upon voyage Of discovery;
and Ryanne paused in his game OF
patience to watch them. There was
more self-abnegation than bitterness
in his eyes. Why not? If Fortune
returned to her mother, sooner or lat
er the thunderbolt would fall. Far
better that she should fall in love with
Jones than to go back to the over.
hanging shadow. A smile lifted the
corners of his lips, sad smile. Per-
cival didn't look the part Of hero.
His coat was variously split under the
arms and across the shoulders his
trousers were ragged, and he -"-alked
In his cloth pads like man who had
govt in both feet. A beard covered
his face, and the bare spots were bills
tered and peeling. But there was
youth In Percivaps eyes and youth IN
his heart, and surely the youth in hers
must some day respond. She would
know this young man; she would that
adversely could not crush him: that
the promise of safety could not make
a coward Of him; that he was loyal
and brave and honest. She would
know in twenty days what It takes the
average woman twenty years to learn,
the manner of man who prOfessed to
love her. Ryanne left the game u1-
finished, stretched himself upon the
ground with his face hidden in the
crook of his arms. Oh, Jne bitter cup.
the bitter cup!
Round the fire that night, the camel
boys got out their tom-toms and reeds,
and the eerie music affected the white
people hauntingly and mysteriously.
For thousands OF years. the high and
low notes of the drums (hollow earth
en- jars or large gourds covered with
goat skin at one end and the thin,
metallic wall Of the reeds had echoed
across the deserts, unchanged. The
boys swayed to and fro to the rhythm,
gradually working themselves into an
ecstatic frenzy.
Fortune always remembered that
night. Wrapped in her blanket, she
had lain down just outside the circle,
and had fallen into q doze., When the
music stopped and the boys left the
prisoners to themselves, George and
Ryanne talked.
IT never forget faces" began
George.
mo? That's gift
"And have never forgotten yours.
I was in doubt at first, but not now"
81 never met you till that night at
the hotel"
That's true But you are Horace
Wadsworth, all the same, the son OF
the millionaire banker, the man used
to admire in the field"
"You still think I'm that chap?''
Il am sure Of it. The first morn.
ing you gave yourself away"
what did say?' anxiously.
"You mumbled football phrases.
,"Ah!" Ryanne was vastly relieved.
He seemed to be thinking.
"Do you persist. in denying it,"
II might deny 1t but I shan't. I'm
Horace Wadsworth, all right. For.
tune knows something about that
chapter, but not ALL Strikes you odd,
oh p, continued Ryanna iron in his