Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-08-23
cs,,r,sl. 1911 :, ......n.niu c..,..,

been asleep? An hour by his watch.
What had awakened him? Not .
sound anywhere. yet something had
startled him out OF his sleep. He
glanced over the camp. That bundle
was Ryanne. He waited. Not move
ment there. NO risn u NE among the
camelboys: and tho flaps Of the two
tents were closed. Bah! Nerves,
probably: and no would have lain
down again had his gaze not roved out
toward the desert. Something moved
out there. upon the misty. moonlit
space. He shaded his eyes from the
FIRE. now but heap Of glowing en-.
bers. He got up. and shiver after
SILVER wrinkled his spine. Oh. no;
1t could not be . dream; he was
awake It was q living thing. that
long, bobbing cameltrain. coming di.
rectly toward the oasis, no doubt at.
tracted by the freight. Fascinated,
incapable Of movement, he watched
the approach. Three white dots: and
these grew and grew and at length be-
came pith-helmets! Pith.
helmets! Who but white men wore
pith-helmets in the desert? White
men! The temporary paralysis left
him. Crouching, he ran over to Ry.
anne and shook him.
But George smothered the question
with his hand. Hush! For Gods
sake, make no noise! Get up and
stand guard over Fortunes tent.
There's a caravan outside. and I'm
going out to meet it. Ryanne, Ryanne.
there's a white man out there!"
George ran as fast az he could
toward the incoming caravan. He met
it two or three hundred yards away.
The broken line Of camels bodied up
and down oddly.
Are you white men," he called.
EYES," said a deep, resonant voice.
"And stop where you are; there's no
hurry"
THANK God!" cried George. at tho
verge Of q breakdown.
What the devil Flanagan,
here's a white man in a dress-suit!
God save us!" The speaker laughed.
Eyes, a white man: and there's .
white woman in the camp back there,
q white woman! Great God. don't you
understand? A white ~oman!" George
clutched the man by the foot despsr-
ately. "A white woman"
The man kicked Georges hand away
and slashed. at his camel. Flanagan.
and you, Williams, get your guns In
shape. This doesn't look good to me.
twenty miles from the main gamelteh.
I told you it was odd, that IRE. Live
~, now!"
George ran after them. staggering.
Twice he fell headlong. But he
laughed as he got up; and 1t wasn't
exactly human laughter. either. When
he reached camp he saw Mahomed
and the three strangers. the latter
with their rifles held menacingly. For
tune stood before tho nap Of her tent.
bewildered at the turn in their affairs.
Behind the leader Of tho newcomers
was Ryanne, and he was talking rap
idly.
WELL" the leader demanded Of Ma
homed, what have you got to say
for yourself?"
Nothing"
take care! It wouldn't come hard
to put bullet into your ugly hide.
You cant abduct white women these
days, you beggar! Well. what have
you to say?"
Mahomed folded his arms; his ex-
preston was calm and unafraid. But
down in his heart the fires Of he'll
hn hoA
his rife from the tent: even knife:
and one mad moment IL he died for It!
And he had been gentle to the girl:
he had withheld the lash from the
men; he had not put into action q
single plan arranged for their misery
and humiliation! Truly his blood had
turned to water, and he was worthy
Of death. The white man, always and
ever the white man won in the end.
To have come this far. and then to be
cheated out Of his revenge by chance!
Kismet! There was but one thing left
for him to do, and he did it. He spoke
hurriedly to his head-boy. The boy
without hesitation obeyed him. He
| ran to the racin9-camel. applied Z
kick. flung on the saddle-bass, stuffed
dates and dried hsh and two water
bottles into them. and waited. Ma
homed walked over to the animal and
mounted.
"stop!" Tho white man lsveIed his
rife. "Get down from there!"
Mahomsd, ~ II he had not heard,
kicked the camel with his heels. The
beast lurched to its feet resentfully.
Mahomcd picked up the guidins-rope
| which served - bride. and struck
| the camel across the neck.
Click! went the hammer Of the rife,
and Mahomed was at that moment
very near death. He gave no heed.
mo, MOI" cried Fortune. pushing up
the barrel. Let him 90. He was
kind to me, after his fashion"
| Mahomed smiled. He had expected
this. and that was why he had gone
about the business fundamentally.
What do you say?" demanded The
stranger Of Ryanne.
/ Ryznns. having &c love whatsvss
Tor Mahemed. shrugged.
"Humphl And you'll" to George.
"Oh. let him 60"
"All right. Two to ono. OF With
you, then" to Mahomsd. but wait!
I What about these beggars Of yours
What are you going to do With thsm?'
ssThey have been nAid They col