Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-01-25

storms might distress him lay In the
total obliteration of the way signs.
certain rocks, certain hills, without
the guidance Of which, like a good ship
; bereft of it's compass, he might fall
away from his course, notwithstand-
ing that he would always travel to-
ward the sun.
And there was also the vital ques-
ton of water; he must never iorget
that: he must measure the time be.
tween each we'll, each oasis. So, then,
aside from these dangers with which
he felt able to cope, there was one
unforeseen: the chance meeting with
wandering caravan headed by white
men in search Of rugs and carpets.
These fools We're eternally hunting
about the wastes of the world; they
were never satisfied unless they were
providing into countries where they
had no business to be, We're always
breaking the laws of the caliphs and
the Koran.
The girl was beautiful in her pale,
foreign way; beautiful as the star OF
morning, as the first rose OF the
Persian spring; and he sighed for t.As
old DAYS that We're no more. She
wo,.ld have brought a sultan's ran
some in the markets. But the occurs
! ed Feringhi were everywhere, and
these sickly II handsome white wom
en- were more to them than their
hearts blood why, he had never ceas
ed to wonder. But upon this know
ledge he had mapped out his plan OF
torture in regard to Ryanne. The
idea Of selling Fortune had dimly
formed in his mind, while his blood
had burned in anger; but today's SOD
erness showed him the futility Of such
procedure. He would have to make
the oest Of a foolish move; for the
girl would eventually prove an en-
cumberance. At any rate, he would
wiring one white mans heart till II
beat dry in his breast. That her health
might be ruined, that she might sick
en- and die. in no manner aroused his
pity. This attribute was destined
never to be awakened in Mahomed
heart.
The kisweh, the kisweh, always the
holy Yhiordes; that he must have,
even if he had to forego the pleasure
of breaking Ryanne. He was too old
to start life anew; at least, too old to
stir ambition. He had WELDED auth
ority too many years to surrender II
lightly; he had known too long his
golden faxed tobacco, his sherbet, his
syrupy coffee, Lne pleasant loat1ng IN
the bazaars with his merchant friends
To return to the palace, to confess to
the pasha that his carelessness had
lost him the rug, would result either
in death or banishment: and so far as
he was concerned he had no choice
the one was as bad as the other. SO,
if the young fool who had bought the
rug of Ryanne told the truth when ne
declared that it had been stolen
again, then Ryanne knew where IT
was; and he could be made to tell; ne
Mahomed would attend to that. And
when Ryanne confessed, the girl and
the other would be conveyed to the
nearest telegraph post. That they
might at once report the abduction to
the English authorities did not worry
Mahomed. Not the fleetest racing
camel could find him, and behind the
walls of the palace of Bagdad. only
allah could touch him. He had figur
ed it all out closely; and he was an
admirable strategist in his way he
venge upon Ryanne for the dtshonol
and humiliation, and the return OF the
rug; there was nothing more beyond
that.
| Before George had the opportunity
of speaking to Fortune, he was raised
from the sand and bodily lifted upon
his camel; and by way of passing
pleasantly, his hat was damned down
over his eyes. He swore as he pulled
Iup the brm. Swearing was another
Accomplishment added to the list OF
transformations. He had deal to
learn yet. but in his present mood ne
was likely to proceed famously. He
readjusted the hat in time to see
Ryanne unceremoniously dumped into
one Of the yawning pack-baskets, his
arms and legs hanging out, his head
lolling against his shoulder, exactly
| like a marionette, cast aside for the
time being. A man of ordinary STAN
ina would have died under such treat
ment But Ryanne possessed an ex
traordinary constitution against which
years of periodical dissipation had as
vet made no permanent inroads. More
over, he never forgot to keep his chin
UP and his waist line down. They put
him into the pack-basket because
there was no alternative, being as he
was incapable of sitting upon cam
1
els back ~ Il
| Next, George saw Fortune, unresist
ing, placed upon the camel, under can
opy. At least, she would know lit
tie comfort against the days long
ride. His heart ached to see her He
called out bravely to her to be of good
cheer She turned and smiled; and
The saw only the smile, not the swift
decisive battle against the onset OF
tears: she smiled, and he was too far
away to see the swimming eyes.
A bawling Of voices, a swapping OF
the kurbash upon the tanks Of the
camels, and the caravan was once
more under way. George looked at his
watch, which fortunately had been
overlooked by the thieving natives,
and found it still ticking away brisk.
| ly. 1t was after nine. 1t was com.
fort to learn that the watch had not
been injured. Most men are method
ical in the matter of time, no matter
how desultory they be in other things
| There is peculiar restfulness in
knowing what the hour is, whether 1t
passes quickly or whether it drags.