Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-21

stained his skin, and his mouth twltched
horribly. Ruthlessly the troopers pulled
aside the loose white clothing and let it drop
about his waist. From the breast the mans
torso was as white as young Darrow's.
Leaning forward and still peering relent-
lessly into that face, the General went on:
"He lent his talents to the enemy, and for
years he has given them his best. To him
alone is due the loss of Kingdom at Ouladan!
| 1t is because of him that we must smash our
way again to that gravel Gentlemen, that
hound there has trained guns on his own
| kind! He has fired on the colors he once
served under! He sold himself to lot of
black swine and helped them harry us,-lie
| in wait for US; to hack us and mutilate our
corpses; to violate our graves"
Allison's voice broke for the first time,
and he paused as if to gain control of him
self, while the very room seemed to throb
with hateful menace for the traitor. The
| very candlehames seemed to tremble in the
intensity of it. Darrow glanced hysteric-
ally about in search of the choking sobbing
| that drummed in his ears, and with dizzy
shock realized it was himself. The faces of
| his companions were contorted with horror
and 1oathing at the tale they heard. Only
the grim force of Allison himself, he knew,
prevented them from tearing the renegade
from his guards and hanging him to one OF
| the palms without. Outside in the quiet OF
| the desert night, the measured tread OF
sentry came strangely rnuf1ed as he crunched
the sand, and restless movement of the
horses brought the creak of straining leather
| The prisoner moistened his blackened lips
with his tongue and stood helplessly re-
Taxed. Suddenly he spoke.
II wish I'd got you-that time!" he mutt
| tered thickly, and his voice trailed away in
anathema which his guards quickly silenced.
The General turned to the others. us it
enough?" he asked grimly, and Crandall
with spasmodic gesture threw up his hand
to brush the sweat from before his eyes.
at is enough" he answered brokenly, and
| Allison continued, leaning one hand upon
| the table:
"Perhaps you men wonder why I've
brought you into this thing" he said, @why
l have not handled this myself-in my own
nesses for justice. Gentlemen, that man
must die!"
InARROW'S breath choked as his throat
= frightened from the strain, and he stag
gered against Captain Baynes, who slipped
an arm about his shoulders.
| "Steady, old mani" the aide whispered.
| @He knows what he's doing"
The General turned again to the prisoner,
and there was passion n his tense voice which
the others noticed and wondered at. On
his face was drawn agony, and beads of
sweat stood out upon the pale, high forehead
that contrasted so sharply with the dark tan
of the cheeks and chin.
| @Iu give you ten minutes" he said, and
words seemed to come from throat that
was swollen. IF you have anything to say
to them," he indicated the correspondents,
@I'm sure they'll listen"
The captive glared at them, and each in
turn they felt the heat of his eyes of hate.
He looked strangely unlike the white man
that he was in that dim, unsteady light.
Down his darkened chin trickled stream of
red from the lips he had bitten in his fear and
rage, and now the white mans speech COM
ing true and clear from that malevolent
visage was queerly unreal, even fantastic.
Il don't want to talk to Them" he said
fercely, and with dull shock Darrow rec
ognized the accents for those of man
Of culture. He groaned and clenched his
hands spasmodically in an effort to keep
them from that corded, twitching throat be-
fore him.
Allison dropped his eyes upon the table,
and his hand sought the heavy revolver that
lay there. With half cry the six men
started forward, and De Lesseps clutched at
the hand that held the weapon. His eyes
| co,,0ht fboco of he General and there